Attorney General Rob Bonta | Facebook Website
Attorney General Rob Bonta | Facebook Website
California Attorney General Rob Bonta, along with a coalition of 16 attorneys general, issued a joint statement before a court hearing in the case of Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. National Institutes of Health (NIH). The hearing is set to take place at the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse in Boston. The plaintiffs are seeking an extension of the Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) against the Trump Administration's cuts to funding for medical and public health research.
The statement, released by Attorney General Bonta and his counterparts from Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington reads: "The Trump Administration’s attempt to cut research funding at thousands of research institutions across the country is not only unlawful; it undermines public health, our economy and our competitiveness. There are laws in place that protect this funding, and the President cannot simply toss those laws aside."
It further highlights that "this research funding covers expenses that facilitate critical components of biomedical research," which includes lab costs and infrastructure. The attorneys general emphasize that without these funds "lifesaving and life-extending research" would be compromised.
They also stated: "Attorneys general are not just fighting for the rule of law; we are fighting for our loved ones...we will not allow President Trump to play politics with our public health." They expressed hope that the court would continue blocking these cuts as they pursue their legal challenge.
On February 10th, Attorney General Bonta joined 22 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Trump Administration regarding its attempt to reduce “indirect cost” reimbursements at research institutions nationwide. This action led to a temporary restraining order being issued against NIH shortly after.
The coalition involved in filing this lawsuit includes attorneys general from Arizona through Wisconsin.
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