The attorneys general of Maryland and 21 other states sued the Trump administration and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on Monday, alleging they illegally cut funding for crucial medical and public health research.
Attorney General Anthony Brown said the White House’s attempt on Friday to slash expenses will set back important research, especially in Maryland.
“Maryland’s research institutions have pioneered treatments that have saved countless lives, but they can't do this vital work without proper funding,” Brown said in a statement. “This decision not only jeopardizes Maryland jobs and our state's position as a global leader in medical research, but it also delays or denies potentially lifesaving discoveries that could help our loved ones.”
The NIH announced Friday 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. That would be capped at 15%.
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Brown’s statement argues: “Cost reimbursements are based on each institution’s unique needs, negotiated with the federal government through a carefully regulated process, and then memorialized in an executed agreement. The Trump administration purports to toss those agreements aside, putting public health and medical advancements at risk. The coalition’s lawsuit seeks to prevent that reckless and illegal conduct.”
NIH-funded research in Maryland includes “over $300 million combined in direct NIH funding to the University of Maryland Baltimore and the University of Maryland College Park,” the statement from Brown’s office said.
Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich previously told News4 he’s worried about the financial impact of potential job cuts related to medical research.
“I think there’s a serious risk of people losing their homes, particularly if you have two federal employees. It could be the elimination of total income for the household,” he said. “There are no programs for these people. Are they going to get unemployment for X number of weeks? We all know unemployment is so low. It’s not gonna be able to cover their mortgage.”
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The other attorneys general included in the lawsuit are from: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
