CGS Statement on NIH Caps of Indirect Cost Rates
CGS Contact: Kelley Karnes
602-791-8278 / kkarnes@cgs.nche.edu
PDF version of press release
Washington, DC — The Trump administration’s decision to cap indirect cost rates for all existing grants funded by the National Institutes of Health is alarming and will prove detrimental to the biomedical research performed at the nation’s colleges and universities. American families will be adversely affected by this unfortunate decision.
America has long been the global leader in the advancement of medical interventions, research and the development of cutting-edge therapies and treatments. This is due to the federal funding of research that comes in the form of both direct and indirect costs. Indirect costs are real and necessary to support the facilities, equipment and the staff needed to advance the life-saving research that Americans have come to expect from our universities.
Graduate students are integral to the biomedical enterprise; they not only assist in the conduct of the research but are also gaining the knowledge and training needed to be active participants in the next generation of the biomedical workforce. Capping the indirect cost rates means limiting the education and work experience of graduate students.
Budgets have already been built on the promise and commitment of the federal funding agencies. The cap on indirect cost rates will significantly impact the biomedical research performed at the nation’s graduate schools and hinder the medical advancements so many Americans depend on for their overall health.
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About CGS
The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) is an organization of approximately 460 institutions of higher education in the United States and Canada engaged in graduate education, research, and the preparation of candidates for advanced degrees. The organization’s mission is to improve and advance graduate education, which it accomplishes through advocacy in the federal policy arena, research, and the development and dissemination of best practices.