DELAWARE - The courts continue to play the roll of referee between the Trump administration and those looking to oppose some of the Presidents recent actions. Monday a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Trump administration’s attempt to cut funding for medical research. The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by Attorney General Kathy Jennings and a coalition of 21 other attorneys general.
The ruling temporarily protects millions of dollars in biomedical and public health research funding for institutions in Delaware, including the University of Delaware, Delaware State University, and the state’s hospital systems, as well as other recipients of National Institutes of Health grants.
“The Court’s ruling preserves critical, life-saving work at our premier research centers and will help America maintain its leadership in medical innovation,” Jennings said in a statement. “This kind of research has made what used to be death sentences into treatable conditions, gives hope for the future to those who receive scary diagnoses today. This fight is far from over, but this swift initial victory preserves that hope for millions of patients and families.”
The TRO, issued late Monday, halts the administration’s efforts to reduce research grants across multiple states. The lawsuit argues that the cuts violate laws protecting NIH funding from arbitrary reductions. The order prevents the NIH from implementing the proposed cuts until further court action.
A hearing is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 21, in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts.