CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — A 5-4 Supreme Court decision announced Thursday has eliminated nearly $1 billion in federal funding for research focused on minority studies, specifically HIV prevention, LGBTQ+ health, cancer treatments and pediatric care.
The ruling means universities and medical centers that rely on National Institutes of Health funding could slow or shut down research programs across the nation.
Dr. David Smith, a political science professor at Sam Houston University, said President Donald Trump made the cuts to align with his administration's values.
"Because a lot of these policies are geared towards specific demographics that are.. That will fall under the classic identity of DEI policies," Smith said.
Smith predicts researchers will likely file lawsuits over the loss of funding within the next two weeks.
The National Institutes of Health serves as the country's largest public funder of medical research.
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