Penn, 35 Universities File Amicus Brief Backing Harvard in Research Funding Lawsuit
Penn joined 35 universities in an amicus brief supporting Harvard’s lawsuit against a $2 billion federal research funding freeze. The brief warns that such cuts endanger basic research and innovation, as Penn itself faces over $400 million in recent funding freezes and cuts.
The University of Pennsylvania has joined 35 other universities in an amicus brief warning that the Trump administration’s freeze on Harvard University’s federal research funding could threaten academic inquiry nationwide. The brief, filed July 22, argues that the freeze on more than $2 billion in research funding is “flatly unlawful” and violates academic independence.
Harvard filed its lawsuit after the Trump administration moved to freeze the funds, contending that the action was illegal. In the brief, the universities argued that institutions often perform “‘basic research’—that is, inquiry that aims to expand knowledge with no immediate practical or commercial application in mind.” They added that the private sector does not have a clear profit in this research, as it “can be difficult to foresee the possible profitable uses.” However, they stressed that basic research “can ultimately yield transformative practical benefits that its investigators never anticipated.”
“Simply put, academic research generates breakthroughs that save and improve lives, build economies, and foster human flourishing,” the brief read. “And it requires federal funding to do so.”
Penn could be directly impacted by how courts ultimately rule on the government’s ability to limit research support. In February 2025, the National Institutes of Health announced a 15% funding cut that jeopardized $240 million of Penn’s funding. The following month, the White House froze an additional $175 million, citing the University’s failure to bar transgender athletes from women’s sports. During fiscal year 2025, Penn received $948 million in federal funding—a nearly 7% decrease from the prior fiscal period.
The brief cautioned that “funding cuts would erode the pipeline and pressure these talented scientists to change fields or move abroad.” It added that “the withdrawal of federal support at even one institution is thus a blow to the entire ecosystem and deters the long-term investment necessary for scientific and technological progress.” Penn researchers have also raised concerns about how potential changes to federal research policies could affect grant decisions and create additional uncertainty for scientists working on federally funded projects.
The brief comes after the Trump administration appealed a district court’s decision to preserve Harvard’s access to funding last December.