Attorney generals from 22 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Monday over significant cuts to grant funding for universities, medical centers, and other research institutions last week.
The cuts would be “devastating” to staff members and faculty — and could even “prove deadly,” the 59-page lawsuit claimed. The new cap takes effect on Monday.
“The reduction of federal funding to the UCs as set forth in the NIH Notice would be devastating for the UC system,” the states noted. The University of California School system is the world's leading public research university system and the state’s third largest employer.
“UW has long relied on being able to negotiate these rates for years, and has built out its research facilities and headcount accordingly — nothing could have prepared UW for a sudden and stinging rebuke of the federal government’s previous positions,” they said of the University of Washington. “The impacts would be devastating not only to the many staff members and faculty who would likely lose their livelihood, but could also prove deadly.”
Due to these “drastic funding reductions,” the Pacific Northwest school would likely have to scale back ongoing clinical trials for kidney disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s and pediatric cancer.
The complaint was filed in federal court in Boston.
Last week, the nation’s top health agency announced that it would slash payments toward overhead costs for research institutions that receive its grants. That policy could leave universities with major budget gaps.
Right now, some universities can spend 50 percent or more of their grant funding on “indirect” costs, like support staff and other needs. That would be capped at 15 percent under the new rules.
“A cut this size is nothing short of catastrophic for countless Americans who depend on UC’s scientific advances to save lives and improve healthcare,” UC President Michael Drake said.
“The discovery of new treatments would slow, opportunities to train the next generation of scientific leaders would shrink, and our nation’s science and engineering prowess would be severely compromised,” Harvard University President Alan Garber wrote.
The move is just one of the president’s controversial and wide-ranging actions since beginning his second term, including slashing certain federal spending and dismantling parts of the government.
The coalition argues that this action violates the Administrative Procedure Act, including a directive Congress passed during Trump’s first term.
“We will not allow the Trump administration to unlawfully undermine our economy, hamstring our competitiveness, or play politics with our public health,” Massachusetts Attorney Andrea Joy Campbell said in a statement.
“This is yet another unlawful and reckless attempt by the Trump administration to undermine vital public institutions and harm the people who rely on them,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James. “The administration’s decision to cap NIH reimbursement rates could force scientists to shutter their lifesaving research on cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, addiction, infectious diseases, and more.”
With reporting from Oliver O’Connell and the Associated Press
