With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today.
Federal judge rules cuts to humanities grants were unlawful
Thousands of grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities were terminated in April.
(
Kayla Bartkowski
/
Getty Images
)
A federal judge has ruled that the government's abrupt elimination of humanities grants previously approved by Congress was "unlawful" and that a lawsuit brought by humanities groups can move forward.
In April, the Department of Government Efficiency, terminated grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities to thousands of groups across the country including humanities councils, museums, historic sites, archives, libraries, educators and media outlets.
In May, Oregon Humanities and the Federation of State Humanities Councils sued the endowment and DOGE, alleging the sudden grant cuts were an "attempted destruction, spearheaded by DOGE, of the congressionally established federal-state partnership."
In his decision, U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon wrote that the councils were "likely to succeed on their claim that the withholding of the funds at issue in this case is unconstitutional." He added, "The United States Constitution exclusively grants the power of the purse to Congress, not the President."
Sponsored message
-
Salvador Plasencia was sentenced to federal prison for his role in the overdose death of actor Matthew Perry. -
A new report finds enrollment in transitional kindergarten is rising in L.A. County, but community preschools are closing. -
The region currently spends 90% of HUD dollars on permanent housing, but the feds capped it at 30%.
Simon also wrote: "Federal funding for the arts and humanities has enjoyed bipartisan support for decades, with Congress continuing to strengthen the statutes governing NEH and provide stable funding generation after generation."
In a statement, Phoebe Stein, president of the Federation of State Humanities Councils, called the judge's ruling "excellent" but cautioned that "humanities councils are still operating without their Congressionally appropriated funds, and many have already laid off staff and cancelled vital programs as a result."
Adam Davis, executive director of Oregon Humanities, said the ruling is "motivating" and "one step — among many that are needed — in the large, ongoing endeavor to knit our communities and the country closer together."
In July, a New York federal court similarly found that the government violated the law when it canceled humanities grants that had already been awarded. It said that the grants should be reinstated until after the case has been tried.
The National Endowment for the Humanities has not yet responded to NPR's request for comment.
Jennifer Vanasco edited this story.
Sponsored message
Copyright 2025 NPR
At LAist, we focus on what matters to our community: clear, fair, and transparent reporting that helps you make decisions with confidence and keeps powerful institutions accountable.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Your support for independent local news is critical. With federal funding for public media gone, LAist faces a $1.7 million yearly shortfall. Speaking frankly, how much reader support we receive now will determine the strength of this reliable source of local information now and for years to come.
This work is only possible with community support. Every investigation, service guide, and story is made possible by people like you who believe that local news is a public good and that everyone deserves access to trustworthy local information.
That’s why we’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Thank you for understanding how essential it is to have an informed community and standing up for free press.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
