Congresswoman Deborah Ross (NC-02) joined a letter with more than 150 House Democrats to Acting Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that expresses deep concerns with the illegal decision by President Trump to reduce the reimbursement rate for indirect research costs to 15 percent across the board. Congresswoman Ross has sounded the alarm about how devastating NIH funding cuts would be for research universities in North Carolina.
“The dramatically lower indirect cost rate cap will have far-reaching consequences for institutions and researchers nationwide, reducing their capacity to conduct cutting-edge research,” said the lawmakers. “Slashing this funding means cutting financial support for the construction and maintenance of laboratories and high-tech facilities; energy and utility expenses; and the essential safety, security, and other support services researchers need to perform their work. Indirect costs make research possible. Without fair reimbursement for indirect costs, research institutions may be forced to close laboratories, lay off staff, stop clinical trials, and pause research programs. This will force Americans to go without lifesaving and life-extending treatments.”
The letter was led by Representatives Gabe Amo (RI-01), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07), and Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06). Full text is available here.
BACKGROUND
On February 7, 2025, the Trump administration announced a new policy that would slash the NIH reimbursement rate for indirect research costs to 15 percent. This illegal move would have far-reaching consequences for institutions and researchers nationwide, cutting off financial support for the construction and maintenance of laboratories and high-tech facilities; energy and utility expenses; and the essential safety, security, and other support services researchers need to perform their work. Simply put, indirect costs make research possible. Without fair reimbursement for indirect costs, research institutions may be forced to close laboratories, lay off staff, stop clinical trials, pause research programs, and redirect resources from critical areas like financial aid.
On February 10, 2025, a federal judge in Boston issued a nationwide temporary restraining order on the effort in response to a federal lawsuit filed by hospitals and medicals schools affected by the substantial loss in potential research funds.
Funding for NIH research enjoys support from both sides of the aisle. On May 1, 2024, a bipartisan group of nearly 200 lawmakers called for $51.3 billion in fiscal year 2025 funding for NIH.
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