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ARTICLE · 11 FEBRUARY 2025

DOE Funding Pause Update

Holland & Knight
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President Donald Trump signed the executive order (EO) "Unleashing American Energy" on Jan. 20, 2025. In addition to laying out revised energy-related policy priorities...

United StatesEnergy and Natural Resources
Taite McDonald
Taite McDonald
Beth Viola
Beth Viola
Rafe Petersen
Rafe Petersen
Katherine Hantson
Katherine Hantson
Brianna Jones Rich
Brianna Jones Rich
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President Donald Trump signed the executive order (EO) "Unleashing American Energy" on Jan. 20, 2025. In addition to laying out revised energy-related policy priorities, the EO required a temporary pause on the disbursement of funds made available under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

On Jan. 27, 2025, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) followed up with a memorandum directing all federal agencies to temporarily pause the obligation or disbursement of federal financial assistance.

Multiple lawsuits were filed, and OMB rescinded the memorandum the following day. Two separate temporary restraining orders (TROs) have now been issued, blocking implementation of the memorandum. Pursuant to the TROs and administration guidance posted to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) website, federal agencies, including the DOE, are prohibited from pausing or freezing funds or from terminating awards or obligations based on the

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