The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit has upheld a lower court decision that permanently blocks the Trump administration, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from reducing funding for medical and public health research at universities and research institutions nationwide.
The court’s ruling secures “indirect cost” reimbursements, which cover necessary expenses such as laboratory operations, faculty support, safety protocols, data processing, and utilities essential to biomedical research.
“This win protects the efforts of Illinois universities and research institutions to achieve breakthrough discoveries with lifesaving medical research,” said Attorney General Kwame Raoul. “I commend the court for stopping the administration from attempting, yet again, to cut essential funding, and I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure the law is upheld.”
In February 2025, Raoul co-led a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the proposed cuts. Within hours of filing, a judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts issued a temporary restraining order preventing NIH from proceeding with funding reductions. The court later issued an injunction against implementing these restrictions. The appellate court has now rejected an appeal by the administration seeking to overturn this injunction.
For Illinois specifically, public universities receive significant NIH funding supporting clinical trials and research initiatives. The University of Illinois System benefits from approximately $67 million annually through this funding stream; other public universities in the Southern Illinois University System receive about $4.5 million each year. These funds support research into treatments for diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and diabetes.
The NIH serves as the primary federal source for medical research funding in the United States. Research supported by NIH grants has contributed to major scientific advances including cancer treatment developments, DNA sequencing technology, and MRI invention. Numerous scientists funded by NIH have also received Nobel Prizes for their work.
Attorney General Raoul led this legal effort alongside Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. Attorneys general from Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin joined in filing the complaint.
As Illinois’ chief legal authority responsible for upholding state laws and supporting residents—including vulnerable groups—the Attorney General’s office operates throughout Illinois offering services like consumer complaint handling and advocacy on issues ranging from civil rights to community safety (official website). The office also partners with law enforcement agencies to support crime victims while promoting transparency (official website).
