Two federal courts in two days have sided with Attorney General Kathy Jennings and other state attorneys general in legal battles against the Trump Administration.
Late Wednesday afternoon, Jennings and her colleagues secured a nationwide preliminary injunction preventing the Trump Administration from cutting billions of dollars in funds that support cutting-edge medical and public health research at universities and research institutions across the country. Less than 24 hours later, another federal judge issued a separate preliminary injunction blocking the Trump Administration’s illegal attempt to freeze funding for essential federal agency grants, loans, and other financial assistance programs.
“Thes rulings make crystal clear what the Trump Administration’s disregard for the rule of law could cost millions of Americans in red states and blue alike,” said Attorney General Jennings. “These funds benefit every woman, man, and child in our state. Whether you voted for me or not, I’m going to fight for you. I’m grateful to the Courts for enforcing the rule of law and the constitution, and to all of the leaders in Delaware who have helped our little state punch above its weight in this fight.”
“The Trump Administration’s repeated and unlawful attempts to freeze congressionally appropriated funding will cause irreparable harm to Delawareans,” said State Treasurer Colleen C. Davis. “Our people rely on federal funds for services ranging from health insurance to higher education, scientific research, child advocacy, animal welfare, and much more – and freezing those funds is both unconstitutional and immoral. I will continue to fight alongside Attorney General Jennings to protect Delawareans from this administration’s attacks on the rule of law.”
NIH ruling preserves more than $13 million for live-saving research in Delaware
Jennings and a coalition of AGs sued the Trump Administration on February 10 over funding cuts that jeopardized millions of dollars at the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, and other facilities in Delaware. The lawsuit followed an abrupt announcement that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) would implement indiscriminate, dramatic, and across-the-board cuts to biomedical research.
On February 10, less than six hours after the coalition filed their lawsuit against the Administration, Judge Angel Kelley in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order against NIH, barring its attempts to cut that critical funding until the court could decide Jennings’ and the other AGs’ motion for a preliminary injunction. On March 5, the judge agreed with the AGs’ arguments that cutting this funding was illegal and granted the AGs’ motion for a preliminary injunction.
The NIH is the primary source of federal funding for medical research in the United States. Medical research funding by NIH grants has led to innumerable scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of and treatment for cancers of all types, the first sequencing of DNA and the development of the MRI. Additionally, dozens of NIH-supported scientists have earned Nobel Prizes for their groundbreaking scientific work.
Most NIH-funded research occurs outside of federal government institutions such as both public and private universities and colleges. NIH’s reduction of University of Delaware’s IDC rates will result in a loss of approximately $12 million that it needs to support its research programs. The loss of these funds will immediately impact and undermine the University of Delaware’s ability to support critical research, meet essential obligations associated with maintaining its research facilities, and support clinical trials in Delaware. Delaware State University stands to lose $1.4 million from the NIH cut, which could impact biomedical research programs into Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, breast cancer, and AI-assisted analysis of medical imaging.
Wednesday’s preliminary injunction protects critical funds that facilitate biomedical research, like lab, faculty, infrastructure, and utility costs. Without them, the lifesaving and life-changing medical research in which the United States has long been a leader, could be compromised. This order will say in effect until lifted by the Court,
Joining AG Jennings in the NIH lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.
Office of Management & Budget ruling protects over $5 billion in federal funds to Delawareans
Jennings and her colleagues sued the Trump Administration on January 28 to prevent a sudden and catastrophic freeze of billions in federal funds that support health care, education, public safety, housing, and infrastructure that bipartisan congressional majorities appropriated to Delaware and other states.
On Thursday morning, Judge John J. McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island today granted a preliminary injunction halting the implementation of the administration’s policy and taking the place of a previous TRO secured by the states. The Court concluded that the states had demonstrated a high likelihood of success on their claims that the actions making up the funding freeze policy were unlawful.
Joining Jennings in the OMB lawsuit are the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
Original source can be found here.