CV NEWS FEED // Less than two weeks after the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sued over the government’s suspension of funding for the USCCB’s refugee resettlement program, the State Department’s lawyers filed a notice in court stating that two contracts with the USCCB have been terminated, potentially nullifying the bishops’ lawsuit.
According to Our Sunday Visitor (OSV) News, USCCB Office of Public Affairs Executive Director Chieko Noguchi, executive director of the USCCB’s Office of Public Affairs confirmed the contracts’ cancellation.
In a statement to OSV News, Noguchi said the two contracts “fund much of the work we do in our Migration and Refugee Services department.”
There was a hearing on the lawsuit on Feb. 28. Noguchi told OSV News that the judge requested additional briefing because of the letters. Noguchi said the USCCB is preparing the requested briefing and will file with the court next week.
The Feb. 27 notice explains that the termination of the contracts, which were the main issue in the USCCB’s lawsuit against the State Department, means that the lawsuit now falls into the jurisdiction of the Court of Federal Claims. The suit was originally filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.
Any remaining disputes about reimbursement from costs incurred since the funding freeze should be brought to the Court of Federal Claims, the Feb. 27 notice stated.
“Relatedly, Plaintiff [the USCCB] can claim no irreparable harm absent an injunction as the only relief now available to Plaintiff is money damages should the parties be unable to resolve any payment disputes through any available administrative channels,” it concludes.
CatholicVote reported Feb. 24 that U.S. District Judge Trevor McFadden had denied the USCCB’s request for a preliminary injunction to reinstate the funding for its refugee resettlement program. However, McFadden also said the USCCB might prevail in court if the lawsuit continued.
Since the funding freeze was put in effect in late January, the USCCB’s refugee program expenses have accrued $11 million. The USCCB is waiting for a reimbursement of an additional $14 million for its program expenses, according to Washington, D.C.’s CBS affiliate WUSA9.
US Attorney Edward R. Martin and Civil Division Chief Brian P. Hudak signed the Feb. 27 notice, which included attachments of two Feb. 26 contract termination notice letters. Both letters were addressed to the USCCB Associate General Secretary Anthony J. Granado.
“This award no longer effectuates agency priorities and is terminated in accordance with the U.S. Department of State Standard Terms and Conditions,” read both notices, which were signed by financial coordinator US Deputy Comptroller Joseph Kouba.
“Effective immediately upon receipt of this Notice of Termination,” both notices state, “the Recipient must stop all work on the program and not incur any new costs after the effective date cited above.”