4 days ago
Democratic states sue Trump administration over NSF cuts
A coalition of Democratic-led states is suing the Trump administration to stop the National Science Foundation from imposing a financial cap on research projects and canceling grants that seek to increase diversity in science, technology, engineering and math.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, argues that the administration in April began terminating projects that focused on increasing the participation of women, minorities and people with disabilities. Earlier this month, the administration announced that it would also limit the amount it will pay for the indirect costs of projects, including laboratory space, equipment and facility services.
The moves come as the Trump administration proposes the smallest National Science Foundation budget in decades — with $4.7 billion in cuts mainly focused on research related to climate change, clean energy and 'woke social, behavioral and economic sciences,' according to the White House.
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The 16 Democratic attorneys general who joined the lawsuit argued that the moves jeopardize the United States' status as a catalyst for research.
