Harris County Joins National Effort to Block Trump Cuts Impacting Funding to Texas Medical Center
Harris County Attorney Christian D. Menefee announced today that Harris County has joined a national legal fight to protect critical medical research funding. The county is part of a coalition challenging the Trump administration’s recent decision to cut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding for health researchers across the country. These cuts threaten to disrupt life-saving research and medical innovation, and put tens of millions of dollars at risk in the Texas Medical Center.
“Harris County is home to the largest medical center in the world, and these cuts pose a direct threat to public health and our economy,” said County Attorney Menefee. “This funding supports the life-changing work happening at the Texas Medical Center. It’s not just about numbers on a budget sheet—it’s about jobs, patients, and families who rely on medical advancements.”
The coalition, which includes 45 local governments from across the country, has filed an amicus brief arguing that the NIH’s funding cuts are unjustified and would have devastating effects on research institutions and local economies. In Harris County, these cuts could lead to job losses, lab closures, and major setbacks for critical medical research.
“Once again, the Trump administration is playing politics with funding that our communities and economy rely on,” Menefee added. “This fight is about more than just dollar signs; it’s about the future of medical science and the ability of our local universities and hospitals to continue their life-saving research.”
The Texas Medical Center and its partner institutions—including Rice University, the University of Houston, and the Texas Heart Institute—employ over 120,000 people and contribute more than $24 billion each year to Harris County’s economy. Losing NIH funding wouldn’t just impact scientists and doctors; it would also hurt patients who depend on new treatments and medical discoveries being made here in Houston.