Judge Reverses NIH Grant Cuts; UAW Leaders Celebrate Ruling

Detroit, MI – The UAW has expressed approval following a recent court decision by Judge William Young, which overturned the cancellation of numerous National Institutes of Health grants. These grants had been previously cut due to allegations of promoting topics such as “gender ideology” or “diversity, equity and inclusion.” The United Auto Workers (UAW), a key plaintiff, represents over 120,000 academic professionals nationwide, many of whom were directly affected by these grant terminations.

“These politically motivated attacks jeopardized medical and scientific progress and threatened the jobs of researchers studying climate change, renewable energy, cancer, viral pandemics, heart disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s,” said Brandon Mancilla, Director of UAW Region 9A, which includes New York, Massachusetts and the Northeast. “This decision is poised to restore hundreds of millions of dollars in previously allocated research funding, reanimating labs and workers focused on some of the most pressing health questions we face. We are grateful that this work can now get back on track.”

Mike Miller, who leads UAW Region 6, encompassing California, Washington, and much of the western U.S., stated, “Judge Young was right to call these cuts exactly what they are: illegal and discriminatory.” He emphasized the importance of the research conducted by UAW members, highlighting its critical role in advancing public health technologies and treatments.

The attempted cuts not only threatened essential healthcare for millions but were also projected to incur billions of dollars in public costs due to treatment delays, according to Tim Smith, Director of UAW Region 8, which includes the National Institutes of Health and much of the mid-Atlantic region. “We thank Judge Young for his decision, and are hopeful that we can now move forward with the research and innovation so many Americans depend on.”