A federal judge ruled Thursday that the U.S. government has until Monday to pay some $2 billion in outstanding bills to USAID groups for contracts that have already been fulfilled.
After more than four hours of arguments, Judge Amir H. Ali determined that existing invoices for work completed by plaintiff organizations prior to February 13, 2025, should be paid by the deadline.
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The government argued that processing such payments within the next four days may not be feasible, particularly since two of those days fall on the weekend.
However, Judge Ali noted that payments of approximately $70.4 million were made the previous night following a Supreme Court ruling on the matter, with Ali suggesting that if those payments were possible, others could be processed over the weekend as well.
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The judge indicated that the rate of payments should be manageable, as the number of plaintiffs awaiting payment is now a fraction of what it was prior to changes at the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Judge Ali also stated that the government could inform him if it encounters any issues complying with the order, provided they offer specific details regarding their inability to comply.
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