US Appeals Court Upholds Congress's Block on Trump-Era Research Funding Cuts
A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration's plan to drastically cut funding for research costs at universities is unconstitutional. In a unanimous decision, the three-judge panel said that Congress had already prohibited this action by attaching a rider to a budget agreement in 2017.
The dispute centers on "indirect costs," which are expenses not directly related to a specific research project but are necessary for universities to conduct their work. These can include things like utilities, maintenance, and staff salaries. In the Trump administration's plan, these costs were to be capped at 15% of grants awarded, regardless of the location or type of university.
However, the court found that this change was a clear violation of Congress's prohibition on altering indirect cost reimbursement rates. The Appeals Court noted that in 2017, Congress passed a rider to block similar attempts by the Trump administration, and it has since been renewed annually.
The decision is a significant win for research universities, which rely heavily on these funds to support their work. Universities in urban areas face higher costs due to factors like housing and labor costs, making this ruling particularly welcome news.
While the court stopped short of ruling that the policy was entirely invalid, its finding sets an important precedent for future disputes over funding priorities.
A federal appeals court has ruled that the Trump administration's plan to drastically cut funding for research costs at universities is unconstitutional. In a unanimous decision, the three-judge panel said that Congress had already prohibited this action by attaching a rider to a budget agreement in 2017.
The dispute centers on "indirect costs," which are expenses not directly related to a specific research project but are necessary for universities to conduct their work. These can include things like utilities, maintenance, and staff salaries. In the Trump administration's plan, these costs were to be capped at 15% of grants awarded, regardless of the location or type of university.
However, the court found that this change was a clear violation of Congress's prohibition on altering indirect cost reimbursement rates. The Appeals Court noted that in 2017, Congress passed a rider to block similar attempts by the Trump administration, and it has since been renewed annually.
The decision is a significant win for research universities, which rely heavily on these funds to support their work. Universities in urban areas face higher costs due to factors like housing and labor costs, making this ruling particularly welcome news.
While the court stopped short of ruling that the policy was entirely invalid, its finding sets an important precedent for future disputes over funding priorities.
they said congress has been saying no since 2017 & that makes total sense tbh universities in big cities already have high costs so this decision is like a weight lifted off their shoulders 
I'm so glad that the courts are looking out for research universities. I mean, can you even imagine if they had to cut funding like that? It would be a total disaster for all the scientists and researchers out there who need those funds to keep their work going.
. This is definitely some good news for the academic community! 
Like, what's next? Funding for libraries and stuff too?! Universities are already struggling to make ends meet without this extra cash 
I mean, who gets to decide that universities can't afford the basics like utilities and staff salaries? It's just not right 
Glad they upheld Congress's decision, but it's still a worrying sign for research in this country...
and I think that's a valuable lesson for all of us about the importance of protecting public interests vs special interests 
Can't believe how some people try to cut corners with research funding 
I mean, the whole point of research is to make a difference in our world, right? Not just some fancy business deal 
Anyway, universities will breathe a sigh of relief now that this ruling has come through 
they've been struggling to make ends meet and it's not fair that they had to deal with these drastic cuts on top of everything else. the fact that congress had already prohibited this change just a few years ago is insane 
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Research universities rejoice!" ]
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the indirect cost thing was just a sneaky way for them to try and control how money gets spent on research but clearly Congress has got our backs 
this ruling is a huge win for research and academia all around 