Case: National Nurses United v. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

1:25-cv-01538 | U.S. District Court for the District of District of Columbia

Filed Date: May 14, 2025

Case Ongoing

Clearinghouse coding complete

Case Summary

On May 14, 2025, thirteen labor organizations--including organizations for nurses, teachers, mine workers, manufacturers, and federal employees--filed this lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia against the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and its Secretary. They challenged the dismantling of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), which was tasked by Congress with conducting research and investigations aimed at protecting workers' health and safety, including by initiating massive staff cuts, abruptly terminating projects and programs, ending NIOSH services, and ending the certification process for safety gear. The Plaintiffs alleged that the dismantling of NIOSH exceeded HHS's authority and violated the Administrative Procedure Act by violating, among other things, the Impoundment Control Act and NIOSH's organic statute. The case was assigned to Judge Trevor McFadden.

The case is ongoing.

Summary Authors

Scott Shuchart (5/20/2025)

People

For PACER's information on parties and their attorneys, see: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70263918/parties/national-nurses-united-v-robert-f-kennedy-jr/


Attorney for Plaintiff

Becker, Harold Craig (District of Columbia)

Ginsburg, Matthew (District of Columbia)

Sansone, Nicolas (District of Columbia)

Sharma, Maneesh (District of Columbia)

Sheard, Bart (District of Columbia)

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Documents in the Clearinghouse

Document
1

1:25-cv-01538

Complaint

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

Complaint

Resources

Docket

See docket on RECAP: https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/70263918/national-nurses-united-v-robert-f-kennedy-jr/

Last updated June 23, 2025, 6:48 a.m.

ECF Number Description Date Link Date / Link
1

COMPLAINT against ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR., in his official capacity as Secretary of Health and Human Services, U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES ( Filing fee $ 405 receipt number ADCDC-11690377) filed by UNITED STEEL, PAPER AND FORESTRY, RUBBER, MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, ALLIED INDUSTRIAL, AND SERVICE WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION, AFL-CIO, DENTEC SAFETY SPECIALISTS, CALIFORNIA NURSES ASSOCIATION/NATIONAL NURSES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE, INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND AEROSPACE WORKERS, AFL-CIO, INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED AUTOMOBILE, AEROSPACE AND AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA, NEW YORK STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION, LOCAL 983, DISTRICT COUNCIL 37, AFSCME, NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, IAM, NATIONAL NURSES UNITED, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS, AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS, ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLINICS, UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA. (Attachments: # 1 Civil Cover Sheet, # 2 Summons U.S. Attorney General, # 3 Summons U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, # 4 Summons Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., # 5 Summons U.S. Attorney's Office)(Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

1 Civil Cover Sheet

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2 Summons U.S. Attorney General

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3 Summons U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

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4 Summons Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.

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5 Summons U.S. Attorney's Office

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May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

Clearinghouse
2

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER
3

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by CALIFORNIA NURSES ASSOCIATION/NATIONAL NURSES ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER
4

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by NATIONAL FEDERATION OF FEDERAL EMPLOYEES, IAM (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER
5

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by NATIONAL NURSES UNITED (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER
6

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by UNITED STEEL, PAPER AND FORESTRY, RUBBER, MANUFACTURING, ENERGY, ALLIED INDUSTRIAL, AND SERVICE WORKERS INTERNATIONAL UNION, AFL-CIO (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER
7

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by NEW YORK STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER
8

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF MACHINISTS AND AEROSPACE WORKERS, AFL-CIO (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/14/2025)

May 14, 2025

May 14, 2025

PACER

Case Assigned/Reassigned

May 15, 2025

May 15, 2025

PACER

Case Assigned to Judge Trevor N. McFadden. (znmw)

May 15, 2025

May 15, 2025

PACER
9

SUMMONS (4) Issued Electronically as to All Defendants, U.S. Attorney and U.S. Attorney General (Attachments: # 1 Notice and Consent)(znmw) (Entered: 05/15/2025)

May 15, 2025

May 15, 2025

PACER
10

STANDING ORDER Establishing Procedures for Cases Before Judge Trevor N. McFadden. The parties are hereby ORDERED to read and comply with the directives in the attached standing order. Signed by Judge Trevor N. McFadden on 5/15/2025. (lctnm3). (Entered: 05/15/2025)

May 15, 2025

May 15, 2025

PACER
11

ENTERED IN ERROR....NOTICE of Appearance by Maneesh Sharma on behalf of NATIONAL NURSES UNITED (Sharma, Maneesh) Modified on 5/20/2025 (zdp). (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
12

NOTICE of Appearance by Matthew Ginsburg on behalf of AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL ORGANIZATIONS (Ginsburg, Matthew) Modified docket text on 5/20/2025 (zdp). (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
13

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by UNITED MINE WORKERS OF AMERICA (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
14

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by INTERNATIONAL UNION, UNITED AUTOMOBILE, AEROSPACE AND AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT WORKERS OF AMERICA (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
15

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by LOCAL 983, DISTRICT COUNCIL 37, AFSCME (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
16

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by AMERICAN FEDERATION OF TEACHERS (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
17

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by ASSOCIATION OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CLINICS (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
18

LCvR 26.1 CERTIFICATE OF DISCLOSURE of Corporate Affiliations and Financial Interests by DENTEC SAFETY SPECIALISTS (Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
19

NOTICE of Appearance by Harold Craig Becker on behalf of NATIONAL NURSES UNITED (Becker, Harold) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
20

NOTICE of Appearance by Maneesh Sharma on behalf of NATIONAL NURSES UNITED (Sharma, Maneesh) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
21

NOTICE of Appearance by Bart Sheard on behalf of NATIONAL NURSES UNITED (Sheard, Bart) (Entered: 05/20/2025)

May 20, 2025

May 20, 2025

PACER
22

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed on United States Attorney General. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney General 5/27/2025. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proof of Service)(Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/28/2025)

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

PACER
23

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES served on 5/23/2025 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proof of Service)(Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/28/2025)

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

PACER
24

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed. ROBERT F. KENNEDY, JR served on 5/22/2025 (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proof of Service)(Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/28/2025)

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

PACER
25

RETURN OF SERVICE/AFFIDAVIT of Summons and Complaint Executed as to the United States Attorney. Date of Service Upon United States Attorney on 5/27/2025. Answer due for ALL FEDERAL DEFENDANTS by 7/26/2025. (Attachments: # 1 Exhibit Proof of Service)(Sansone, Nicolas) (Entered: 05/28/2025)

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025

PACER

Case Details