DURHAM, NC (January 31, 2025) — Congresswoman Valerie Foushee (NC-04) sent a letter to the Trump Administration after President Trump and the United States Office of Management and Budget directed a pause on United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) communications, grants, and hiring. The vaguely worded memorandum from Trump’s Office of Management and Budget Acting Director Vaeth does not clarify which projects, programs, and activities are frozen. The letter urges the Trump Administration to reverse this order and clarify if the Administration anticipates any future interruptions of HHS funding.
“Research institutions require reliability and certainty in their funding so they can plan their research efforts accordingly, and, at the very least, they deserve clarity if the Trump Administration anticipates any future interruptions of critical HHS and NIH funding,” the Congresswoman wrote. “Everyone, regardless of party affiliation, benefits from HHS and NIH-funded scientific and medical research. Furthermore, everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer and pausing the funding of this vital research puts a pause on their heroic efforts to save lives.”
The full text of the letter is included below:
Dear President Trump and Acting Director Vaeth:
I write on behalf of the research institutions not only in North Carolina’s 4th district, but those around the country to express my deep concern and opposition to your harmful Memorandum M-25-13 issued from the Office of Management and Budget on January 27, 2025 regarding the HHS pause in communications, grants, hiring, and other critical areas. This misguided executive order puts groundbreaking, cutting-edge research across the country at risk. The scope of this executive order is unacceptable, uninformed, and outright unlawful. Research institutions require reliability and certainty in their funding so they can plan their research efforts accordingly, and, at the very least, they deserve clarity if the Trump Administration anticipates any future interruptions of critical HHS and NIH funding.
I have received tremendous outreach from university research centers, lab staff, and other scientific research professionals who rely on NIH grant funding to operate their lab, conduct research, and to pay staff. These hardworking teams are not only worried about the continuation of their research, but about their livelihoods. Duke University in my district has already had mentorship programs suspended and funding cuts impacting employee pay. This is just one example; research institutions in every state will feel the similarly detrimental consequences in their work.
Disease does not discriminate. Everyone, regardless of party affiliation, benefits from HHS and NIH-funded scientific and medical research. Furthermore, everyone knows someone who has been impacted by cancer and pausing the funding of this vital research puts a pause on their heroic efforts to save lives.
The United States leads the world in scientific advancement and pausing communications, funding, and hiring significantly endangers that leadership. The devastating impact of this executive order is glaring and will only become more so as each day passes. Consequently, I urge you to put partisan games aside on this issue and permanently and unequivocally reinstate this indispensable funding for cancer research efforts by reversing this executive order immediately.