Overview

• A coalition of universities, including MIT, Princeton, and Caltech, filed a lawsuit in Massachusetts federal court to block the DOE's new funding policy.
• The policy imposes a flat 15% cap on indirect research costs, significantly lower than previously negotiated rates, threatening over $400 million in annual funding.
• Universities argue the cap will force layoffs, facility closures, and harm to critical projects, jeopardizing U.S. leadership in scientific research.
• Harvard University has publicly opposed the policy, with President Alan Garber stating the institution will not comply, prompting the federal government to freeze $2.2 billion in grants and $60 million in contracts.
• The DOE defends the cap as a measure to increase efficiency and transparency, redirecting taxpayer dollars toward direct research efforts.