HOBOKEN (TIP): Ravi S. Bhalla, Indian American mayor of Hoboken city in New Jersey, has joined a coalition of over 45 elected officials, cities, and counties across the country in challenging the Trump Administration’s cuts in National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding.
“We join with cities across the country to stop this illegal action that will cause layoffs, lab closures, and undermine scientific progress,” said Bhalla, a Democrat. “I commend my alma mater, UC Berkeley and all of the other colleges and universities for having the courage and moral clarity to stand up to the Trump Administration.  In times like these, America needs this type of leadership to ensure it remains a global leader in medical and scientific research. These cuts are shortsighted, harmful to innovation, and detrimental to public health.”
Bhalla signed on to an amicus brief, filed in federal court in Massachusetts, arguing that NIH’s funding cuts are unjustified, illegal, and would devastate research institutions and medical progress, according to a press release from his office.
NIH has significantly reduced reimbursements for indirect research costs to universities and medical institutions from up to 70% to just 15% for both new grant recipients and existing grant recipients, the release stated. These indirect expenses, covering essential costs like utilities, office space, and administrative support, maintain the infrastructure needed for groundbreaking medical and scientific research.
Hoboken is directly affected by these cuts, as Stevens Institute of Technology receives millions in NIH grant funding.
Mayors from Boston, San Francisco, Baltimore, St. Louis, Cleveland, and other major cities have joined the effort, alongside hospitals, research universities, and state attorneys general arguing that federally funded research institutions in cities employ hundreds of thousands of Americans and drive the country’s leadership in scientific discovery.
The coalition has been granted a temporary restraining order to halt the NIH policy, aiming to restore full funding and prevent further disruptions to critical medical and scientific advancements, according to the release.
Bhalla intends to submit a resolution for authorization before the Hoboken City Council for the City to join the brief in the coming weeks, the release stated.