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Judge blocks HHS teen-pregnancy grant changes but leaves 53 cancellations in place

Political Guyentist · August 20, 20261 min read

U.S. District Judge Christopher Cooper temporarily blocked HHS from changing Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants while the lawsuit goes on. He found the challengers likely to win. The ruling does not restore the money HHS canceled at the end of June, when it killed 53 of the program's 67 grants two years early. Cooper said his power to order that money back remains unclear.

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Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants after HHS cuts

Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program grants after HHS cutsJudge Cooper blocked HHS's changes — but 53 of 67 grants stay canceled (79% of the program gone).Number of grants02040606753 grants canceled — ~$70M (79%)14 remain (21%)Killed two years early; judge did not restore this moneyProtected by the preliminary injunctionSource: Stateline/Pew (Aug 2026), citing Judge Cooper's ruling. ~$70M applies to the 53 canceled grants; total ~$88M is an estimate (per-grant amounts vary).

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