Wisconsin sues Trump administration over research funding cuts; joins coalition
Wisconsin State Capitol
BOSTON, Mas. - Attorneys general from 22 states, including Wisconsin, filed a lawsuit Monday, Feb. 10, against the Trump administration for slashing funding for medical and public health research at universities nationwide.
Lawsuit explainer
What they're saying:
The lawsuit filed in federal court in Boston challenges the Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services and the National Institutes of Health over efforts to reduce funding that goes to so-called indirect costs — including lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs.
The states argue that research into treating and curing human disease "will grind to a halt" and people would lose access to "modern gene editing, vaccines such as flu vaccines, and cures for diseases like cancer, infectious diseases, and addiction."
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Lawsuit against Trump administration, Wisconsin joins coalition
Gov. Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul announced Wisconsin joined a coalition of states in filing a lawsuit against the Trump administration.
Reaction to research funding cuts
What they're saying:
"To think that the Trump Administration wants to gut funding to help find cures and treatments for things like cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetes—it’s unconscionable," said Gov. Evers. "The University of Wisconsin System is a national and global leader in helping solve real problems for people here in Wisconsin and the world over, and ensuring UW System’s success is a critical part of ensuring Wisconsin’s future economic success. The Trump Administration’s reckless federal funding cuts will be devastating for Wisconsin and a setback for millions of people who hope and pray every day for a cure or treatments that might save their life or the life of someone they love."
"This really should go without saying, but making drastic and rushed cuts to funding that supports the fight against cancer and other dangerous diseases is wrong. And what makes cuts like these all the more appalling is that they’re clearly being made in order to fund tax cuts that will disproportionately benefit the ultra wealthy," said Attorney General Josh Kaul. "Our health and well-being shouldn’t have to suffer so that folks like Elon Musk can get massive tax breaks."
Potential impact
The backstory:
Last week, the NIH announced it was cutting payments toward overhead costs for research institutions that receive its grants, a policy that could leave universities with major budget gaps. Currently, some universities receive 50% or more of the amount of a grant to put toward support staff and other needs, but that would be capped at 15%.
The states want the court to declare that rate change unlawful.
The lawsuit detailed how some research institutions would suffer. For example, the University of Michigan stands to lose $181 million in funding. Which would impact "425 NIH-funded trials currently underway, including 161 trials aimed at saving lives," according to the suit.
And that, the suit said, would cost jobs. "Implementing this 15% cap will mean the abrupt loss of hundreds of millions of dollars that are already committed to employing tens of thousands of researchers and other workers, putting a halt to countless life-saving health research and cutting-edge technology initiatives," the lawsuit said.
The Source: The Associated Press Contributed to this report. The Wisconsin Department of Justice sent FOX6 a press release with the information and responses from Governor Tony Evers and Attorney General Josh Kaul.