A federal district court judge in Boston has issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration from reducing health research grants.
Judge Angel Kelley's ruling temporarily bars the administration from imposing the cuts in 22 states that sued to block the reductions. However, the cuts remain in effect in other states.
Impact of the Cuts
The Trump administration announced its plan to limit funding added to health research grants to 15 percent to help universities and grantees cover overhead costs. These fees typically add around 27 percent to the total grant cost, with variations across institutions. Some major research institutions like Harvard, Yale, and Johns Hopkins receive an indirect cost add-on equivalent to over 60 percent of the grant.
Universities have expressed concerns that these cuts would have a devastating effect, potentially leading to staff layoffs and reductions in research programs.
Judge Kelley has scheduled further arguments in this case for later this month, indicating a continued legal battle over the administration's funding cuts.