• World News
  • Politics
  • Stock
  • Investing
  • Editor’s Pick
Time And Sales Reporter
Politics

Judge blocks Trump order limiting ‘indirect’ NIH research costs after public outcry

by February 11, 2025
February 11, 2025

A judge temporarily halted a directive by the Trump administration that imposed a cap on overhead costs that go to universities and other institutions that host federally funded research projects.

The directive, which went into effect Monday, sparked an outcry of criticism from research institutions that argued the new rule would have devastating consequences. It was immediately challenged in court by 22 Democratic state attorneys general, as well as by several leading research universities and related groups in a second lawsuit. 

U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley subsequently ruled in favor of the 22 state attorneys general, granting their request for a temporary restraining order that prohibits agencies from taking any steps to implement, apply or enforce the new rule that imposed a cap on facilities and administrative costs that are part of federally funded research grants.

The rule capped overhead costs associated with National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research grants at 15%. 

When a grant is awarded to a scientist by the NIH, an additional percentage, on top of the allocated research funding, goes to the facility housing their work to cover these ‘indirect costs.’ According to an announcement about the new funding cap from the Trump administration, that percentage has historically been around 27% to 28% for each grant. But in some cases, negotiated rates can be even higher, such as at the University of Michigan where the negotiated rate for indirect costs is 56%.

The lawsuit from the attorneys general argued the move violated federal law governing the procedures federal agencies must follow when implementing new regulations. They also argued that the move usurped the will of Congress, which, in 2018, passed legislation prohibiting the NIH or the Health and Human Services Department from unilaterally making changes to current negotiated rates, or implementing a modified approach to the reimbursement of indirect costs.

Kelley’s temporary restraining order requires the Trump administration agencies that are impacted by the new rule to file reports within 24 hours to confirm the steps they are taking to comply with her order. Meanwhile, Kelley set an in-person hearing date on the matter for Feb. 21.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment on the restraining order, but did not hear back at press time. However, after the directive went into effect on Monday, White House spokesperson Kush Desai told Fox News Digital, ‘Contrary to the hysteria, redirecting billions of allocated NIH spending away from administrative bloat means there will be more money and resources available for legitimate scientific research, not less.’ 

Earlier on Monday, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell said the Trump administration had violated his order halting a federal aid funding freeze that sought to pause ‘all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance,’ to ensure federal disbursements aligned with the president’s executive actions.

McConnell ordered the government to ‘immediately restore frozen funding,’ noting that plaintiffs had provided adequate evidence to show the Trump administration ‘in some cases [has] continued to improperly freeze federal funds and refused to resume disbursement of appropriated federal funds,’ despite his ‘clear and unambiguous’ order lifting the freeze.

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS
previous post
Israel slams Palestinian ‘deception scheme’ over claim it halted terror rewards program
next post
‘Deregulatory flavor’: JD Vance lays out vision in Paris for the future of AI under Trump

Related Posts

Sen. Steve Daines says regime change is the...

July 8, 2025

Bondi under siege after DOJ reveals no Epstein...

July 8, 2025

Elon Musk connects with indie Andrew Yang on...

July 8, 2025

US ends terrorist designation of Syrian militant leaders

July 8, 2025

Over 158 million Americans voted in 2024 as...

July 8, 2025

Trump dismisses Musk’s political ambitions as ‘ridiculous’ in...

July 7, 2025







    Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.


    By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.




    Recent Posts

    • Is a Chinese chain’s blood orange cold brew the future of coffee in America?

      July 8, 2025
    • The Best Five Sectors, #26

      July 8, 2025
    • Sen. Steve Daines says regime change is the best long-term plan in Iran

      July 8, 2025
    • Bondi under siege after DOJ reveals no Epstein client list

      July 8, 2025
    • Over 158 million Americans voted in 2024 as Trump reclaimed the White House

      July 8, 2025
    • About us
    • Contact us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions

    Copyright © 2025 timeandsalesreporter.com | All Rights Reserved

    Time And Sales Reporter
    • World News
    • Politics
    • Stock
    • Investing
    • Editor’s Pick

    Read alsox

    Biden’s former spokesman slams Trump and GOP for...

    March 20, 2025

    Trump says he wasn’t ‘trolling’ about acquiring Greenland,...

    April 26, 2025

    Tulsi Gabbard confirmation vote kicks off Wednesday morning...

    February 12, 2025