"The pause affects billions of dollars and is delaying home repairs, factory construction and other projects, many in states that voted Republican."

"When marble-size hail fell on Alabama in 2023, it devastated Camp Hill, a town of 1,000 where nearly half the residents live below the poverty line. Decks were demolished, cars shattered, roofs destroyed, and few people had insurance.

The community was expecting to get help this month in the form of a $20 million federal grant to help homeowners make repairs — money that came from a Biden-era law to tackle climate change.

But those funds have now been held up by President Trump’s order that all federal climate spending be paused. Even though the White House this week rescinded a sweeping directive that would have stopped trillions of dollars in grants across the federal government, a separate executive order is still in effect that halts tens of billions of dollars in energy and environmental spending.

That pause is paralyzing federal agencies, causing confusion in states and cities, delaying construction projects and forcing some companies to furlough workers."

Lisa Friedman and Brad Plumer report for the New York Times February 1, 2025. [2]