California Attorney General Rob Bonta has joined a coalition of 19 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief in the case Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington v. Office of Management and Budget. The case challenges the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) decision to deactivate the Public Apportionments Database, an online resource that provides details on how federal agencies spend funds appropriated by Congress.
The brief, submitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, argues that the Trump Administration’s refusal to make apportionment decisions public limits states’ ability to monitor federal spending and identify any unlawful funding decisions.
“The Trump Administration is attempting to dodge their obligation to publicly disclose how it directs agencies to spend taxpayer money, limiting state’s view into how the Administration is handling critical funding,” said Attorney General Bonta. “This information is important for citizens and states to ensure transparent governance — and especially essential given the billions of dollars the Trump Administration has already illegally cancelled or withheld. I urge the court to stay the course and insist the Trump Administration transparently report how its spending appropriated funds.”
In 2022, Congress directed OMB to publicly release its apportionment decisions so organizations could track whether federal spending complied with appropriations laws. Earlier this year, OMB announced it would no longer comply with this requirement. Since January, according to the coalition, the Trump Administration has withheld billions of dollars in appropriated funds without public disclosure. In some cases, there was no announcement at all; in others, announcements were delayed until after problems arose; sometimes it was unclear whether OMB or another agency was responsible.
Specific examples cited include delays in releasing over $6 billion in education funds, termination of nearly $400 million for state AmeriCorps programs, and disruptions affecting millions in funding for state-run libraries.
Attorney General Bonta and his colleagues argue that making apportionment data public is necessary for states to protect their interests and respond quickly when federal funds are not released as required by law. The lack of timely information has led to crisis situations for states and hindered ongoing litigation related to these issues.
The amicus brief was co-led by Attorney General Bonta along with attorneys general from the District of Columbia, Maryland, Massachusetts, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
A copy of the brief can be found here.
