Statement by ACE President Ted Mitchell on Trump Administration Move to Slash Research Indirect Cost Rate
February 07, 2025

"The Trump administration’s unilateral and misguided decision to slash and cap the indirect cost rate for research funded by the National Institutes of Health sabotages the decades-long partnership that has ensured U.S. global leadership in life-saving medical research. This partnership has sparked innovations that have strengthened the U.S. economy, created good-paying jobs, and helped to educate generations of researchers and scientists.

Support for the research enterprise allows colleges and universities to maintain the cutting-edge laboratories and advanced technologies needed to stay ahead of foreign competitors and deliver pioneering discoveries that benefit the health and well-being of all Americans.

This decision is short-sighted, naive, and dangerous. It will be celebrated wildly by our competitors, who will see this for what it is—a surrender of U.S. supremacy in medical research. It is a self-inflicted wound that, if not reversed, will have dire consequences on U.S. jobs, global competitiveness, and the future growth of a skilled workforce."

Media Contact
Jon Riskind
Telephone:(202) 939-9453