Latest news with #JohnPartipilo
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Appeals Court upholds state law halving Metro Nashville Council
Historic Nashville Courthouse. (Photo: John Partipilo) A split Tennessee Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of the state's effort to cut the Metro Nashville Council in half, overturning a trial court decision in a battle between state and local governments. The three-judge panel upheld a 2023 bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature cutting the size of metropolitan government councils to 20, a move that would dramatically reduce the size of the Metro Nashville Council from 40 members — 35 from districts and five elected at-large. The appeals court overruled a Davidson County Chancery Court's decision that the state law violated two sections of the state Constitution, the home rule amendment that prevents the state from targeting specific local governments and a clause exempting metropolitan governments from a 25-member cap on legislative bodies. 'In resolving this dispute, we remember that it is our duty 'to resolve every reasonable doubt in favor of the constitutionality of a legislative enactment,'' the decision states. The Court of Appeals rejected Metro Nashville's argument that the law applies only to Nashville, thus violating Tennessee's Home Rule law that prevents state lawmakers from passing legislation targeting a local government without its permission. State appeals court ruling keeping Nashville's 40-member council intact While Tennessee has three counties that voted to form metropolitan governments, the law only requires Davidson County to shrink its council to comply. The Court of Appeals sided with the state in affirming the idea that though the law would only impact the current governing structure of Davidson County, two smaller counties that already have Metro Councils with fewer than 20 members will be required to maintain that compliance. Any counties that form metropolitan governments in the future would also have to comply with the law. House Majority Leader William Lamberth, a Portland Republican, applauded the court's decision in affirming constitutionality of the Small Government Efficiency Act. 'The action reins in excessive government growth while ensuring local municipalities across the Volunteer State remain accountable and responsive to their constituents,' Lamberth said in a statement. The Republican-controlled legislature started targeting Metro Nashville two years ago with a spate of bills designed to give the state greater control of the local government, including reducing the size of the council. The conflict stemmed, in part, from the council's decision to reject a move to lure the Republican presidential convention to Nashville. Allison Bussell of the Metro Legal Department said, 'We are understandably disappointed and concerned about the ruling's implications on local sovereignty. But we are also encouraged by Judge Armstrong's compelling dissent. We are digesting the ruling and considering our options.' 'The Home Rule Amendment of the Tennessee Constitution, in part, stands for the proposition that the size of the Metro Council is a decision for the voters of Metro Council,' said Vice Mayor Angie Henderson in a statement. 'The General Assembly's 2023 Small Government Efficiency Act was advanced purportedly to address the 'efficiency and effectiveness' of Nashville's legislative branch.' 'For the last 60 years, this 40-member Council has capably and effectively served the interests of our constituents, who today number some 715,000,' Henderson said. The obvious reason for exempting a consolidated government from the restriction on the size of its membership is to accommodate the far larger population of a consolidated government as compared to a single county or municipality. – Judge Kenny Armstrong Judge Kenny Armstrong of Memphis dissented from Judge Steven Stafford of Dyersburg and Judge Carma Dennis McGee of Savannah in the ruling. Armstrong argued in his dissent that Metro Nashville, as a metropolitan government with home rule, qualifies for an exemption from state-set restrictions on its legislative body's size. 'The obvious reason for exempting a consolidated government from the restriction on the size of its membership is to accommodate the far larger population of a consolidated government as compared to a single county or municipality,' Armstrong stated. This decision is a significant blow to Metro Nashville's continued efforts to combat what city leaders have classified as unconstitutional state overreach. The Court of Appeals' ruling runs counter to a slew of victories for Metro Nashville in related cases. Nashville's legal department has also sued to block laws targeting the city's authority over boards controlling Nashville sports stadiums, its convention center, the fairgrounds and the Nashville International Airport. The Court of Appeals noted that its decision on the Metro Council case opposes a separate Court of Appeals ruling nullifying the state's attempt to vacate the Metro Nashville Airport Authority and appoint new members. The court in that case concluded that the law, which applied only to Metro Nashville, violated the home rule provision. Tuesday's ruling stated the airport case is 'readily distinguishable' from the question of the Metro Council size statute, because the airport authority law was 'unlikely' to apply to other counties in the future. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee program makes progress on EV chargers while frozen federal projects languish
Tennessee has closed a loop of electric vehicle chargers in the state even as a federally-funded program to round out Tennessee's charging network remains halted. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) Tennessee closed a loop of electric vehicle chargers connecting Nashville, Knoxville, Cookeville and Chattanooga in May, marking a significant milestone in the state's push to support EV adoption. Meanwhile, a federally funded program intended to round out Tennessee's EV charging network — particularly on the state's major interstates and U.S. 64 — has been halted since February at the instruction of President Donald Trump's administration. Tennessee's Fast Charge TN program aims to position an EV charger every 50 miles along Tennessee interstates and highways. In the roughly 400-mile loop closed in May with the installation of chargers in the small town of Athens, EV drivers can now access chargers every 34 miles. The state's $24 million program is funded separately through funds from the Volkswagen Diesel Settlement Environmental Mitigation Trust, electricity revenues from TVA and cost share from grant recipients. Some U.S. Republicans are pushing to keep energy tax credits. Tennessee lawmakers aren't among them. The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation's Office of Energy Programs released a Notice of Intent for the Fast Charge program's second round in February and expects to solicit projects for 13 gap areas throughout the state 'in the coming months.' Fast Charge TN's federally backed counterpart remains at a standstill. The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program (NEVI) allocated up to $5 billion to support EV charger installation along 'Alternative Fuel Corridors' across the nation. Tennessee was set to receive $88 million over a 5-year period to complete a plan created by the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT). Upon taking office, Trump issued an executive order to pause the disbursement of federal grant money for programs supporting electric vehicles and clean energy initiatives under the Biden-era Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The U.S. Federal Highway Administration officially suspended NEVI funding in February, despite having already approved states' program plans. TDOT awarded $21 million in NEVI funds to 10 applicants in January 2024 to install 30 new charging locations, but none of those contracts have been executed as the pause remains in effect, according to TDOT Community Relations Director Beth Emmons. Sixteen states, Washington D.C. and multiple environmental and clean energy groups sued the U.S. Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration in a Washington federal court in May, arguing the federal agencies had no authority to freeze funds already appropriated by Congress. The Executive Branch, the suit contends, cannot 'override or suspend this process based on changing policy priorities.' EVs in Tennessee: Uncertainty abounds as Trump targets Biden-era electric vehicle funding Tennessee is not one of the plaintiffs. Gov. Bill Lee and Tennessee's Congressional representatives have largely been mum on the tension between the state's work to grow the EV industry and the Trump administration's efforts to retract federal support. Tennessee has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into incentives and grants to entice EV-related businesses to locate their manufacturing plants in the state. Lee and the state's economic development department have celebrated the hundreds of jobs promised by EV enterprises since 2017, many in rural areas. All but one of Tennessee's representatives in the U.S. House voted in favor of an amended version of Trump's budget reconciliation bill — which would eliminate electric vehicle tax credits for consumers and create new annual taxes for EV and hybrid owners — in May. Lee also celebrated the bill's passage in the House, and did not respond to a request for comment regarding the potential impact to Tennessee's EV industry. The bill must pass in the U.S. Senate to become law. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Stockard on the Stump: CoreCivic battles former consultant over ICE business
CoreCivic, based in Brentwood, Tennessee, is suing a consulting firm that was hired to pursue business for the private prison company. (Photo: John Partipilo) Tennessee's private prison operator is suing a consultant for $500 million for allegedly stealing a contract for non-detention services with federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement. CoreCivic, a Brentwood-based company that runs four Tennessee prisons, filed suit against Universal Strategic (US) Advisors this year, claiming it breached a deal to bring in business for CoreCivic by landing its own $73 million contract with ICE in March. The case was filed in Metro Nashville Circuit Court, but US Advisors is seeking removal. Wanting to expand its web beyond federal and state prison operations, CoreCivic hired US Advisors for $30,000 a month to help it ink an agreement with ICE to handle administrative work dealing with undocumented immigrants who are under federal supervision. The job involves people who are released from detention on humanitarian grounds, bond or parole, those waiting for removal after immigration proceedings or people classified as fugitives from ICE or should be removed for other reasons, according to the filing. The idea was to enable ICE agents to work the front lines amid increased deportations under the Trump administration with CoreCivic taking over personnel and administrative work such as checking records, collecting documents, answering phone calls, entering data and doing criminal history checks. CoreCivic signed a one-year contract with US Advisors and paid the company $1.56 million. But, according to the lawsuit, shortly after President Donald Trump was sworn in, the consulting firm notified CoreCivic in early February it was ending the contract in 30 days. Both companies hoped to take advantage of inside contacts. US Advisors' chief executive officer, Tim Robbins of Utah, had held numerous leadership jobs in ICE and was an old acquaintance of Bart Verhulst, vice president of federal relations for CoreCivic. He was privy to the CoreCivic's proprietary information and helped shape its plan to 'penetrate' the Department of Homeland Security market. CoreCivic contends Robbins was supposed to avoid conflicts of interest, and he helped CoreCivic submit a proposal to ICE in 2023 for case management services. It was re-submitted in August 2024 and January, and CoreCivic was told that ICE was interested in its proposal. But 'out of the blue,' on Feb. 9, CoreCivic received a letter from US Advisors terminating their agreement. In early March, 'much to its shock and dismay,' CoreCivic found out US Advisors and Robbins, while under contract, submitted their own proposal to ICE and then won the contract. Is there no honor among profiteers? Tennessee is using a vendor on shaky ground in other states to send out the money for its private-school voucher programs. The state has been contracting with Student First Technologies for two years, with an annual licensing fee of $695,000, for the Education Savings Accounts targeting low-income students in three counties and its Individualized Education Account program for special needs students, according to the Department of Education. The department executed an amendment to the contract in early April to launch the so-called Education Freedom Scholarships for up to 20,000 students, depositing money into students' online accounts to pay for tuition and other expenses at private schools, but not directly to parents. The legislature's Fiscal Review Committee approved the expansion in March at a cost of $625,000 for the initial buildout and launch. Despite Breakdowns in Two States, ESA Provider Student First Seeks to Expand Privatizing education isn't cheap. The newest iteration is costing north of $140 million annually, at least half of it going to students already enrolled in private schools, while the cost for ESAs could reach $25 million a year. Add the $1.3 million for disseminating money, and you're creating a cottage industry. The problem is that Student First Technologies promised West Virginia officials in September 2024 it wouldn't go after more business until it repaired glitches that caused more than 3,000 unfilled orders and forced parents to spend their own money for books, technological equipment and other services, according to a States Newsroom report. Besides those shortcomings, Student First lost a $15 million contract for an Arkansas voucher program when it couldn't do the job correctly. Tennessee and Student First have run into some of their own technical problems, but the company apparently has handled them. And instead of looking for another vendor, the state is doubling down with more work and a bigger contract. The state's relationship with Student First comes on the heels of a $2.5 million no-bid contract with Florida-based ClassWallet that used Career Ladder funds for teachers to pay the tab. Former Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, who is going for a deputy secretary position in the U.S. Department of Education, caught the ire of lawmakers when she inked the deal without taking bids. Which is worse, skipping the bidding process or sticking with a company facing lawsuits for shoddy work? It's a toss-up. Nashville Democrats are trying to recall Metro Councilman David Benton after his appearance with xenophobic U.S. Rep. Andy Ogles in an anti-immigrant press conference at the State Capitol, on Memorial Day no less. While Ogles accused Metro Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell of opposing President Trump's efforts to deport people without legal documentation, Democrats are peeved that Benton is backing the move to 'Stop the invasion.' Recalling a Metro Council member could be difficult. The last time it happened took place way back in 2009 when Nashville attorney Jamie Hollin defeated Pam Murray, who was tied up in turmoil over allowing mobile vendors on Cleveland Street. Aside from Democrats, the Metro Council's Immigrant Council also condemned Benton, saying his 'racist' propaganda is especially problematic because he represents a district with a large Latino population, which was targeted by ICE in a South Nashville roundup two weeks ago. Nashville immigrant caucus 5-29-25 Never mind that many of the people Ogles and his ilk want to deport are washing the dishes, cooking the food and changing the bed sheets for white-bread America. Also put out of your mind that a handful of state lawmakers, mainly from Williamson County, used the State Capitol on a federal holiday to conduct a publicity stunt inside the Old Supreme Court chambers on the first floor, which is controlled by the governor. According to one report, the event was moved abruptly into the Capitol because of the threat of rain. But a press release sent out on Friday, May 23, said it would be held in the Old Supreme Court. Did it rain that day? 'Now I will stand in the rain on the corner / I watch the people go shufflin' downtown.' * * 'Fool in the Rain,' Led Zeppelin SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Industry orgs: Budget bill's electric vehicle tax credit rollback could hamper Tennessee momentum
Ford BlueOval City, photographed while under construction in April 2023. (Photo: John Partipilo) Congress may be poised to roll back electric vehicle tax credits and institute new annual taxes on electric vehicle owners — moves that could spell trouble for electric vehicle manufacturers in Tennessee and across the country, according to industry organizations. The U.S. House of Representatives narrowly passed a revised version of President Donald Trump's budget reconciliation bill last week. The 'One Big Beautiful Bill Act' slashes multiple tax credits available to consumers who purchase new, used and commercial electric vehicles (EVs). It also creates a new annual tax for owners of EVs ($250) and hybrid vehicles ($100), money meant to make up for a lack of owners' lack of gas tax contributions toward infrastructure upkeep. The bill now moves to the U.S. Senate for consideration. Should it pass, the EV tax credits will expire on December 31, 2025, instead of the original December 2032 sunset date. Industry advocates and analysts warn that axing the tax credits — which can save buyers up to $7,500 on new, American-made and sourced EVs — will kill the industry's momentum in Tennessee and put investments and jobs at risk. Tennessee has incentivized its growing electric vehicle industry with hundreds of millions of dollars of state contributions and tax breaks over the last decade. The Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development estimates more than 20,000 Tennesseans are employed by companies with EV operations, and EV projects have injected $16.2 billion in capital into the state since 2017. In West Tennessee, BlueOval City's EV assembly line for Ford's new electric truck is still under construction, and BlueOval SK is gearing up for battery production. The massive $5.6 billion campus is expected to reshape and reinvigorate rural West Tennessee. The Electrification Coalition, a nonprofit, nonpartisan group advocating for electric vehicle adoption and supportive public policy, called the move a 'sledgehammer to Tennessee's EV industry' in a statement published Tuesday. EVs in Tennessee: Uncertainty abounds as Trump targets Biden-era electric vehicle funding 'It would eliminate critical tax credits that are spurring private-sector investments, supporting critical mineral supply chain development, creating American jobs and ensuring the United States remains competitive in the global automotive market,' Electrification Coalition Executive Director Ben Prochazka stated. 'Removing these credits would pull the rug out from under the auto and aligned battery industries at a critical time, immediately putting Tennessee jobs at risk. Industry needs policy certainty and consistency to build domestic and allied supply chains.' Reached by email, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development declined to comment on industry organizations' concerns. Tennessee's electric vehicle industry has grown over the last two decades to include manufacturing plants for Ford, Volkswagen and GM, in addition to multiple companies that produce EV batteries or EV battery components. Nissan also assembled its all-electric Nissan LEAF at its plant in Smyrna until recently. The 2026 LEAF will be assembled at the company's Tochigi Plant in Japan, according to a company spokesperson, meaning the company no longer assembles any EVs or hybrid vehicles in Tennessee. The state has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the electric vehicle industry over the last decade, according to records kept by the state's Department of Economic and Community Development. This includes a $78 million grant for the recruitment of Ultium Cells LLC, an EV battery manufacturer, to locate jobs for 1,300 workers in Maury County. State lawmakers approved a $900 million incentive package for Ford's BlueOval City campus in 2021, including $500 million in reimbursements for construction work on the campus in Stanton, Tennessee. Some U.S. Republicans are pushing to keep energy tax credits. Tennessee lawmakers aren't among them. While Tennessee's growth in the industry predates tax incentives created by the Inflation Reduction Act under former President Joe Biden to support the production of batteries and battery components in the U.S., those incentives helped companies stand up more cost-competitive electric vehicle plants in the U.S., Harrison Godfrey, managing director of clean energy industry association Advanced Energy United, told Tennessee Lookout in November. An October Washington Post analysis found Tennessee received an estimated $12.6 billion in investments in clean energy projects since the IRA passed in 2022. Ford and GM did not respond to requests for comment on the potential rollback of consumer EV tax credits. But the Alliance for Automotive Innovation — an industry group with members from 42 U.S. automotive companies including GM, Ford, Nissan and Volkswagen — listed support for electric vehicle manufacturing among its 2025 policy priorities. The organization specifically stated that policymakers should maintain both production tax credits for vehicle manufacturers and 'consumer incentives for the purchase of electric vehicles.' The Nissan spokesperson stated the company's position on EV tax credits aligns with the policy priorities of Autos Drive America, a trade association representing international automakers in the U.S., including Nissan. Autos Drive America has worked to increase the number of electric vehicles that qualify for the Clean Vehicle Tax Credit since the IRA's passage in 2022. The Tennessee Chamber of Commerce did not respond to a request for comment. In April, Gov. Bill Lee celebrated the latest EV-related business expansion in Tennessee: a $54 million investment from automotive supplier Avancez in assembly operations at the BlueOval City Supplier Park. A spokesperson for Lee did not respond to a request for comment on how EV tax credit rollbacks may impact Tennessee's continued industry growth. Lee voiced his support for the budget bill in a post on X on May 21, saying it will 'secure the border, unleash American energy & deliver tax cuts — all measures that guarantee opportunity, security & freedom for the American people.' The Electrification Coalition urged U.S. Sens. Marsha Blackburn and Bill Hagerty to 'take a more balanced approach' and preserve the tax credits to ensure the U.S. does not fall 'further behind' in the global EV market. Blackburn and Hagerty did not respond to requests for comment. All of Tennessee's U.S. Representatives voted in favor of the budget reconciliation bill, except for U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, a Democrat based in Memphis. The bill passed in the House 215-214. All Democratic representatives voted against the bill. Cohen could not be reached for comment by press time. U.S. Republican Reps. DesJarlais, Fleischmann, Green, Harshbarger, Kustoff, Ogles and Rose did not respond to requests for comment. U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett, a Republican representing East Tennessee, said in an emailed statement to Tennessee Lookout that he voted in favor of the bill due to national debt concerns. 'Our nation is currently $36 trillion in debt,' Burchett stated. 'This bill rolls back Biden's Green New Deal tax credits that we don't have the money to pay for. I believe in an all-of-the-above energy approach, but we shouldn't plunge our country deeper in debt as a result.' Burchett also stated that the new tax for EV and hybrid owners 'makes sure all drivers contribute towards our nation's infrastructure,' as 'electric vehicle owners don't pay a gas tax which is used to fund vital highway projects.' The Electrification Coalition and Nissan both expressed support for EV and hybrid drivers paying their 'fair share' toward infrastructure, but the new tax level is more punitive than practical. 'We believe the new annual tax should be more in line with the gas tax equivalent ($150) rather than being set at a level that seems punitive,' the Nissan spokesperson stated. 'While all drivers should pay their fair share, this proposal is nearly three times what the average driver pays in federal gas taxes, which have not covered the cost of infrastructure for nearly 20 years,' Prochazka, of the Electrification Coalition, stated. 'Rather than imposing a punitive tax on a subset of Americans, Congress should identify a fuel-neutral solution to the Highway Trust Fund's structural insolvency.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
See what research at Tennessee universities was defunded in Trump's federal grant cuts
Vanderbilt University Medical Center is on a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) list of institutions set for grant termination. (Photo: John Partipilo) Modeling for infectious disease research, vaccine education programs, a rural mental health program, disinformation research and a project developing evacuation route technology for active shooter scenarios are among the federally funded grants at Tennessee universities terminated by the Trump administration. The University of Tennessee system reported losing $37.7 million in funding for 42 grants earlier this month, the majority of which came from grants for the UT Institute of Agriculture. Six grants remain 'pending.' Nine partial stop work orders are in effect, preventing portions of projects from being completed but not impacting the total award, according to University of Tennessee spokesperson Melissa Tindell. The university released a full list of its federal grants on Wednesday. Middle Tennessee State University reported losing roughly $640,000 due to 10 grant terminations, encompassing grants from the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum and Library Sciences and the Tennessee Department of Health. Vanderbilt University, Tennessee State University, East Tennessee State University and the University of Memphis did not respond to requests for a list of terminated grants. Records maintained by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) list millions more in grant cuts at those schools, but data posted to the DOGE website is imperfect. UT system loses $37.7M in federal grants; Institute of Agriculture is hardest hit For example, DOGE's website lists only one terminated grant at MTSU: a roughly $305,000 National Science Foundation grant for the development of a 'Framework for Integrating Technology for Equity.' While this is among MTSU's terminated grants, several others are not listed in DOGE's data, including a program that supported students with disabilities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), archeological research at Fort Negley and research on COVID-19 health disparities. One of the grant recipients — The Alliance of Students with Disabilities for Inclusion, Networking, and Transition Opportunities in STEM – stated on its website that its NSF funding terminated on May 2, 'due to the alignment of our work with the agency's evolving priorities.' 'This decision does not reflect the quality or importance of the work we've done together — work that has empowered students with disabilities and advanced equity in STEM across the country,' the website states. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the selection process for terminated grants. Broadly, President Donald Trump's executive orders have included orders to terminate ''diversity, equity, and inclusion' discrimination in the federal workforce, and in federal contracting and spending.' Trump's administration has also taken aim at Biden-era climate policies. Of the 42 grants terminated across the University of Tennessee system, nearly 40% referenced diversity, inclusion, minorities, race, underserved or marginalized groups, sexuality or gender in their titles. Five terminated grants mentioned infectious disease or immunization in their titles, and COVID-19 disparities or prevention efforts were specifically mentioned in three. Cuts to collegiate research can have impacts far beyond their fields. Most basic, foundational research is done in the academic sphere, according to Alexandra Graddy-Reed, an associate professor at the University of Southern California's Sol Price School of Public Policy. It's more difficult to tell if this type of research will be profitable, so about 60% of this type of research is funded by the federal government rather than industries or nonprofits, she said. 'Without the federal government funding academic research, it would drastically decrease what we can accomplish,' Graddy-Reed said. A portion of the University of Tennessee's terminated grants deal with COVID-19 disparities. Graddy-Reed used this as an example of potential long-term implications. 'If you look at COVID in particular, Vanderbilt was one of the first organizations leading to a vaccine through their research, but that research wasn't just started in 2020, right?' she said. It was decades in the making. 'When you stop that basic research, when you stop understanding how pandemics spread, how they impact our populations, when the next pandemic hits, we are not as prepared to address the issue,' Graddy-Reed said. Federal judge extends order blocking 'devastating' NIH cap on research payments Terrell Morton, an assistant professor of identity and justice in STEM education at the University of Illinois Chicago's School of Education, had similar concerns. 'One of the things that people talk about is this concept of brain drain, or the idea that as a country, we're going to lose a lot of the rich innovation, because colleges and universities are sort of the main driving sites for research-based innovation,' Morton said. Researchers at MTSU and University of Tennessee declined interviews. Regarding the termination of multiple grants that included a focus on minorities, Morton said science has shown that 'the experiences, the needs and the outcomes of people differ based off of not only things like their race, but also their gender, their socioeconomic status, whether or not they live in an urban or rural or suburban neighborhood.' Morton highlighted the National Science Foundation's authority to engage in 'broader impacts work,' which can include increasing participation of women, people with disabilities and underrepresented minorities in STEM, according to NSF's website. Morton said that also includes veterans and people from rural communities. 'If you remove federal funding from grants that explore things like the implications of rurality on mental health, then there's not going to be any knowledge or resources generated to help people in rural spaces that don't have access to high-quality health care or don't have access to high-quality mental health services,' he said. Further implications stretch to the economy — less funding means less support for graduate students, research technicians, and publication editors. Less funding also means fewer researchers attending professional conferences, booking hotels and meeting space and supporting the service industry in conference locations, Morton said. One of the things that people talk about is this concept of brain drain, or the idea that as a country, we're going to lose a lot of the rich innovation, because colleges and universities are sort of the main driving sites for research-based innovation. – Terrell Morton, University of Illinois Chicago Graddy-Reed said less research funding can erode an institution's ability to provide the infrastructure and equipment needed to do research. 'Science is America's competitive advantage, and we rely heavily on government funding for that,' she said. 'If that gets cut, we're in decline as a society, but so is our competitive advantage in the global economy.' While grant funding cuts were catalyzed by politics, Morton said these cuts impact everyone, regardless of their political affiliation. He said he's hopeful that people will see the results not from a political perspective but from a practical one: what benefits the nation and its communities. 'In my opinion, what truly benefits our nation and our communities are research and scientific explorations that can help develop new innovations and outcomes that elevate the life, the liberty, and the pursuit of happiness of our people,' he said. Terminated grants at MTSU include: Tennessee Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (Mid-Level Alliance) TLSAMP NSF Includes Alliance: The Alliance of Students with Disabilities for Inclusion, Networking, and Transition Opportunities in STEM Race, Religion, and STEM: (Examining the Intersections for Black Students) Collaborative Research: Framework for Integrating Technology for Equity Archaeological and Ethnographic Field Research at Fort Negley (in Nashville) An Investigation of Virtual Reality Initiatives and Workforce Development Outcomes in Libraries The Works of Anne de Graville: A New Edition and English Translation Epidemiology and Laboratory Capacity for Prevention and Control of Emerging Infectious Diseases – Building and Strengthening Epidemiology, Laboratory and Health Information Systems Capacity A-IP19-1901 Immunization and Vaccines for Children Covid Vaccination Pods – TN Covid-19 Health Disparities Initiative SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
