Attorney General Anne Lopez led a coalition of 15 other attorneys general in filing a lawsuit to stop illegal attempts to cut critical National Science Foundation (NSF) programs and funding that help maintain the United States’ position as a global leader in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).On April 18, pursuant to a purported change in priorities, NSF began terminating projects focused on increasing the participation of women, minorities and people with disabilities in STEM fields. On May 2, NSF announced that it would also cap “indirect costs” of research projects like laboratory space, equipment and facility services at 15 percent. This arbitrary limit on indirect costs would slash millions of dollars for groundbreaking scientific research across the country, jeopardizing national security, the economy and public health. "Efforts to cut National Science Foundation programs are an attack on both scientific progress and the hard-won strides made toward opening doors for underrepresented communities in STEM. NSF programs are vital for expanding access to opportunity for women, people with disabilities and people of colorin STEM who have historically been left out of these fields, as Congress itself has recognized in passing federal laws saying just that. The state of Hawaiʻi is committed to protecting the rule of law.” – AG Lopez