GAO Concludes Unlawful Delays and Cancellations of NIH Funding
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has concluded that the Trump administration unlawfully delayed and terminated billions of dollars in biomedical research funding allocated to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), despite Congressional appropriations. In its report released Tuesday, the GAO estimated that between February and June, NIH awarded approximately $8 billion less in research grants compared to the previous year and canceled over 1,800 active grants. These actions were reportedly taken in response to President Donald Trump's directive to eliminate projects related to equity, gender ideology, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Violations of the Impoundment Control Act
The GAO's investigation found that these grant cancellations and delays violated the Impoundment Control Act, which requires the president to notify Congress before withholding funds. While the GAO has the authority to pursue legal action to restore the funding, it has not yet decided to do so, despite its findings.
Impact on Research Initiatives and NIH Review Processes
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