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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sues the Trump administration over funding freeze

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Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sues the Trump administration over funding freeze


Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro sued the Trump administration on Thursday over its broad freeze of federal funding, saying in a lawsuit that the effort has “jeopardized at least $5.5 billion that has been committed to Pennsylvania” in federally appropriated money.

In the lawsuit, the Shapiro administration said Trump is in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act and conducting “an unconstitutional withholding of funds.” The law allows judges to throw out federal agency actions that are “arbitrary and capricious” on various grounds and has commonly been cited in lawsuits targeting elements of Trump’s efforts to rapidly remake the government.

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“Neither the President nor any executive branch agency has the power to unilaterally enact, amend, or repeal any statute. That is as true of a statute appropriating funds as it is any other statute,” the lawsuit reads, adding, “The President and executive branch agencies have an obligation to execute the laws that have been properly enacted. Defendant agencies’ withholding of appropriated, obligated funds violates these fundamental constitutional tenets and is therefore unconstitutional.”

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The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, is the Democratic governor’s most significant step to counter Trump so far in his second term. Shapiro is widely seen as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate. That it was Shapiro himself suing the president, too, was notable because such a lawsuit would typically be filed by a state’s attorney general. In Pennsylvania, that office is now in Republican control.

The Shapiro administration sued the Interior Department, Transportation Department, Energy Department, Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Management and Budget as well as the leaders of those agencies: Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and OMB Director Russ Vought.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is widely seen as a potential 2028 presidential contender.Hannah Beier / Getty Images file

“The federal government has entered into a contract with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, promising to provide billions of dollars in Congressionally-approved funding that we have committed to serious needs — like protecting public health, cutting energy costs, providing safe, clean drinking water, and creating jobs in rural communities,” Shapiro said in a statement. “With this funding freeze, the Trump Administration is breaking that contract — and it’s my job as Governor to protect Pennsylvania’s interests.”

Both in the lawsuit and in his statement, Shapiro framed his administration’s move on Thursday as a last resort that followed two weeks of trying to restore the frozen funding to his state.

“While multiple federal judges have ordered the Trump Administration to unfreeze this funding, access has not been restored, leaving my Administration with no choice but to pursue legal action to protect the interests of the Commonwealth and its residents,” he said.

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A person familiar with the lawsuit told NBC News that the litigation was evidence Shapiro is willing to “go toe-to-toe with the president here and say ‘this is not a way to run government.’”

“This is not a vanity lawsuit [or] virtue signal,” this person said. “This is real. Things aren’t getting done. Key priorities of the governor’s agenda are close to pausing. There’s jobs at stake. There’s key initiatives in public health and human safety that are at stake.”

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump and his administration have argued for the funding freeze as necessary to root out what they see as wasteful and abusive, even fraudulent spending. But judges have said Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally pause the funds.

Much of the frozen federal funding Shapiro highlighted in his lawsuit stemmed from former President Joe Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and Inflation Reduction Act, which was frozen under a Trump executive order that broadly called for funding appropriated by that legislation to be paused. The first paused-initiative Shapiro highlighted was a $3 billion grant over 15 years allowing Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection to repair abandoned mine lands in the state. Cleaning up abandoned mines was a major pledge of Shapiro’s 2022 gubernatorial campaign.

“It was a campaign promise — it’s a big deal,” the person familiar with the lawsuit said. “There’s [about] 300,000 orphaned and abandoned wells in the state of Pennsylvania. It’s like the second or third biggest emitter of greenhouse gasses. It’s a climate initiative. It’s a safety thing. It’s a union jobs. It’s mostly in western, rural Pennsylvania. This is 10s of millions of dollars up in the air of work that is struggling to proceed because no one has any idea what’s going on.”

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Two federal judges have temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s funding freeze. But Shapiro’s lawsuit says that the federal government is continuing to withhold the funds to his state. 

“Specifically, Commonwealth agencies cannot draw from federal accounts, which means that agencies are stuck incurring debts and obligations in ongoing projects that cannot be reimbursed,” the lawsuit reads. “While agencies have some reserves and discretionary dollars to cover small unexpected debts, the scope of the federal freeze will far exceed those reserves.”



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Parts of central Pa. not getting snow overnight have a greater chance later this week

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Parts of central Pa. not getting snow overnight have a greater chance later this week


From minor snow and ice accumulations to almost 50-degree weather with sunny skies, and then a potential winter storm coming later this week, central Pennsylvania is getting it all, meteorologists said Monday night.

Tuesday’s winter storm is forecast to affect northern parts of the state, leaving the Harrisburg area mostly out of the drama, as meteorologists say a winter weather advisory will start at 1 a.m. for the following counties: Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Cameron, Elk, McKean and Potter.

But the Harrisburg area and southeastern parts of the state will not be heavily affected by the wintry mix, as National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologist John Banghoff said residents will see light snow that will transition into rain before 8 a.m.

There’s a chance of rain showers between 8 and 10 a.m., before the clouds eventually break. Highs will get into the mid-40s.

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“We don’t expect any significant winter weather impacts for the Harrisburg area and southeast Tuesday morning,” Banghoff told PennLive.

The snow accumulation could be less than a half inch on Tuesday. Winds will pick up Tuesday night, with gusts to 25 mph and temperatures falling into the mid-30s, he said.

Christmas Eve will bring sunny skies with temperatures around 47.

Late Christmas Eve into Christmas morning, some areas, especially the southwest, might see light rain. In the central mountains, there could be a light mix of rain and snow.

Starting Christmas Day, temperatures are expected to again reach the mid-40s with the possibility of scattered rain showers, he said.

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However, residents should take precaution with traveling on Friday, as meteorologists are monitoring a potential winter storm that could get messy, according to Banghoff.

Despite the uncertainty in terms of how Friday’s winter storm evolves, he said the northeast will see heavy snow, while the southwest will have a high chance of ice. Central Pennsylvania is in the zone of getting a mix of snow, ice and rain, he said.

“Whether it’s snow, sleet, freezing rain, or rain, there is increasing confidence that there could be fairly widespread impacts from a potential winter storm on Friday,” Banghoff said.

He’s telling residents who plan on traveling after Christmas to pay close attention to the forecast before hitting the road, as it might not be a great travel day.

In the aftermath of the storm, Saturday will be cloudy, with a high near 41. On Sunday, residents could see a chance of showers and cloudy skies, with a high near 47.

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Could marijuana be legalized in Pennsylvania next year?

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Could marijuana be legalized in Pennsylvania next year?


(WHTM)– Recreational marijuana is not legal in Pennsylvania despite urging from a majority of Democrats in the legislature, but that could change in the new year due to an unlikely advocate.

President Trump issued an executive order last week moving marijuana from a Schedule I drug, which means highly addictive, to a Schedule III drug, which is less addictive with some medical benefit.

Many see this as the president legitimizing marijuana and giving political cover for Republicans, who have been resistant to supporting legalization.

The executive order also called for more solid research on the benefits and harms of marijuana.

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John Gallagher, a researcher, addiction specialist, and professor at Alvernia University, voiced support for more research. He said more research is needed and won’t wade into the political debate over whether to legalize it.

He also said the marijuana industry’s claim that it is not addictive is not true.

“I go back to the two things that we know. Without a doubt, cannabis is absolutely an addicting drug for some. And cannabis absolutely has withdrawal symptoms for some people become dependent on it,” Gallagher said.

He added that it’s appropriate that it was re-classified from schedule one to schedule three because its addictiveness is not the same as that of some schedule one substances.

Gallagher suspects Pennsylvania will legalize adult-use cannabis, given all surrounding states have. He also said there hasn’t been enough research on its medical benefits.

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Pennsylvania Lottery Pick 2 Day, Pick 2 Evening results for Dec. 21, 2025

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The Pennsylvania Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Sunday, Dec. 21, 2025 results for each game:

Winning Pick 2 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 6-9, Wild: 1

Evening: 8-1, Wild: 0

Check Pick 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 3 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 5-8-0, Wild: 1

Evening: 0-8-5, Wild: 0

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 4 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 0-7-4-5, Wild: 1

Evening: 6-3-0-0, Wild: 0

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Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

Day: 3-8-7-2-8, Wild: 1

Evening: 1-5-1-3-2, Wild: 0

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash4Life numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

15-25-30-40-55, Cash Ball: 02

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Check Cash4Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

11-20-31-36-38

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Treasure Hunt numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

05-11-13-25-27

Check Treasure Hunt payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Match 6 Lotto numbers from Dec. 21 drawing

08-29-32-33-35-45

Check Match 6 Lotto payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

  • Sign the Ticket: Ensure your ticket has your signature, name, address and phone number on the back.
  • Prizes up to $600: Claim at any PA Lottery retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
  • Prizes from $600 to $2,500: Use a Claim Form to claim at a retailer or by mail: Pennsylvania Lottery, ATTN: CLAIMS, PO BOX 8671, Harrisburg, PA 17105.
  • Prizes over $2,500: Mail your signed ticket with a Claim Form or in person at a Lottery Area Office (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).

Lottery Headquarters is currently not open to the public. Visit the PA Lottery website for other office locations near you.

When are the Pennsylvania Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 2, 3, 4, 5: 1:35 p.m. and 6:59 p.m. daily.
  • Cash4Life: 9 p.m. daily.
  • Cash 5: 6:59 p.m. daily.
  • Treasure Hunt: 1:35 p.m. daily.
  • Match 6 Lotto: 6:59 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
  • Powerball Double Play: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Saturday.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Pennsylvania editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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