California Attorney General Rob Bonta and a coalition of 16 attorneys general have filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The lawsuit accuses the administration of unlawfully terminating or withholding medical and public health research grants across the nation.
Attorney General Bonta cited significant negative impacts of these actions, noting, "In their unlawful withholding and terminating of medical and public health research grants, the Trump Administration is upending not only the critical work being done today, but the promise of progress for future generations." He emphasized the importance of NIH funding in California, stating, "NIH funding creates over 50,000 jobs and billions of dollars in economic activity."
The lawsuit contends that the administration’s actions were arbitrary and capricious, arguing that it lacked the authority to halt the spending of congressionally appropriated funds. The attorneys general aim to secure a temporary restraining order to restore the grant funding immediately and prevent future unlawful terminations.
UC President Michael V. Drake voiced support for the lawsuit, stating, "The American research enterprise is the most successful, important, and impactful in the world." Ganesh Raman from California State University highlighted the essential role of NIH funding in student learning and research, saying, "Terminating these federal grants will cause irreparable harm, undermine scientific progress and our collective capacity to innovate."
The NIH has historically supported substantial biomedical and public health research, contributing significantly to medical advancements such as the rubella vaccine and treatments for HIV/AIDS. The Trump Administration, however, has frozen the competitive process for approving new NIH grants and has terminated some existing ones, reportedly due to their connection to topics not favored by the administration.
The lawsuit follows earlier legal action by Attorney General Bonta, who previously sued the Trump Administration over attempts to cut indirect cost reimbursements at research institutions nationwide. Attorney General Bonta and the attorneys general from Massachusetts, Maryland, and Washington are leading this latest legal effort, joined by attorneys general from 12 other states.