Trump administration directive that sought to reduce overhead costs associated with federally funded research blocked by U.S. District Court judge after 22 state attorneys general sued.

Attorneys general sued the Trump administration to block a NIH decision that would slash grant payments for research overhead

A federal district judge granted a temporary restraining order Monday, blocking the Trump administration from making drastic cuts to biomedical research funding in 22 states that banded together to sue.

Senate Appropriations Committee ranking member Patty Murray, D-Wash., wrote in a statement the NIH policy change amounts to “an indiscriminate funding cut for research institutions across the country that will be nothing short of catastrophic for so much of the lifesaving research patients and families are counting on.”

A federal judge temporarily blocked President Donald Trump’s administration’s cuts to funding provided by National Institute of Health on Monday.

The University of Pennsylvania said the funding that was at risk of being cut before a restraining order took effect supports more than 4,500 jobs.

We’re talking about massive layoffs across the Triangle if this (rule) holds,” former UNC-Chapel Hill Chancellor Holden Thorp said.

The Trump administration’s effort to cut back on federal funding for the National Institute of Health for research programs at universities and medical systems has been blocked nationwide.

A judge halted NIH funding cuts that California and Democratic-run states say could harm life-saving medical research work at UC, Cal State and other universities. The suit said the cuts violated federal law.