How federal cuts are hitting Portland

• They're part of a broader push by President Trump and the Elon Musk-led DOGE to dismantle or defund federal programs the administration considers unnecessary.

State of play: Oregon has joined several legal challenges as state agencies continue to review the extent of the cuts.

What they're saying: Gov. Tina Kotek has been less vocal than some other Democratic governors in her criticism of the new administration, but in an interview with KGW last month, she called the drastic reductions in funding "erratic."

• "I was hoping that we'd see some thoughtfulness," she said. "Even I have been surprised by the kind of haphazard way he's gone about things and how it's really caused a lot of uncertainty here in Oregon."

What's happening: This is an evolving situation, with federal decisions changing by the week, but here's where things stand:

Education: The Trump administration's plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education would result in direct losses to students in Oregon, according to the state.

• Kotek's proposed budget for the Department of Education over the next two years relies on roughly $1.5 billion in federal funding. Without those dollars, programs for low-income and disabled students, teacher salaries and school transportation could be impacted.
• Earlier this week, the state shut down five literacy and math development courses for teachers after the feds rescinded several grants.
• Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined 20 other states in a lawsuit suing the Trump administration over the wider cuts at the department.

Public health: The National Institutes of Health sought to cut funding for at least 10 research projects and health programs at the University of Oregon, Oregon Health & Science University and the Oregon Health Authority.

• The cuts primarily targeted programs aimed at reducing suicide risk, aiding intravenous drug users at high risk for infectious diseases and other COVID-era programs administered by the state.

• Those cuts were blocked Monday by a federal judge following lawsuits from 22 states, including Oregon, but the NIH has signaled that it plans to appeal.

Humanitarian aid: Portland-based Mercy Corps, Oregon's flagship international aid organization, said the cuts at the U.S. Agency for International Development resulted in the loss of "millions" in funding that would have helped to bring drinking water and food to people in war-torn countries.

• "These programs not only saved lives, they prevented conflict and instability," CEO Tjada D'Oyen McKenna said in a written statement.

Between the lines: The effects of federal funding cuts are also showing up in Oregon's wilderness and energy sectors.

• Staff cuts at national forests, parks and other public lands have led some to warn of decreased services as people begin venturing outside this summer.
• Earlier cuts to the Bonneville Power Administration's workforce — now reversed — also sparked fears about the power grid.