Sure, we know that you must be hearing a lot about this Humanities Grants Elimination lawsuit in the headlines lately, but do you actually know why this case is getting so much attention? Well, that’s because it is the federal government of this country being sued by major academic and cultural groups, and for a very valid reason, actually. So, if you don’t know much about it all yet, just keep on reading, because the details are pretty intense. Here we go.
So, What Actually Happened to the NEH?
There is no way that you don’t know about DOGE yet, you know, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), right? Well, just in April of 2025, we saw them unilaterally cease the funding of a large number of grants of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) that were approved by Congress. And that was quite literally the point when all this legal mess started, and now everyone is in on it.
If you think this was some small thing, well, just to put things into perspective, see, after this decision of DOGE, surely, almost 65% of the NEH employees lost their jobs, and a few departments within the agency were totally closed down. Yup! Totally shut down. And without a doubt, the impact of this was great.
To specifically talk about the damage, well, the answer is that over one thousand approved grants were canceled. Facilities that had to close their doors, those who lost their employees, and many that had to cancel the events or the school partnerships that they had been planning for several months are the consequences of these cancellations, no doubt.
Who Filed the Lawsuit and Why?
Well, this wasn’t sitting right with a lot of people out there, so sure enough, after a considerable amount of time, they decided to go down the legal route, and now, the three biggest academic groups, the ACLS, AHA, and MLA, collectively decided that they could no longer tolerate the situation and brought a case to the federal court.
And?
Their principal point is rather straightforward: it is only Congress that has the power to make the decision regarding the spending of federal money.
Their argument was also based on the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. How? It is actually a very clear statement that, you know, in case Congress authorizes the money, the executive branch is not allowed to go on with a refusal of the expenditure by itself.
What Did the Courts Decide So Far?
Sure, this case ended up in court, but after months of waiting, now, in an August 2025 decision, federal judge Michael H. Simon took a look at the case and decided that the legal action could go on. Really? Yes, that was the verdict made, but do you want to know why? Well, the judge was so sure of it that he wrote that the plaintiffs have a good chance of winning because the way the NEH was targeted looks like a violation of the Constitution. He pointed out to everyone that it is Congress, and not the President or any other new office, that has the power to decide on federal spending.
Though, before that, you should know that prior to that, in July 2025, a different federal court in New York also decided that the government should temporarily bring back the grants.
Therefore, the answer to that question is affirmative, actions are being taken, and the situation is becoming more and more tense. And that is the very reason why this lawsuit/case is being talked about a lot in the headlines, and surely, the legal mess is far from over, so let’s see where will things end up eventually.