RICHLAND, Wash. – A protest took place at John Dam Plaza, fueled by fears over the Trump administration’s proposed funding cuts for medical and scientific research.
The Tri-City Democrats organized the “Stand Up for Science” protest, voicing their concerns about the potential impacts of these cuts.
Protestor Shannon Minette fears the funding cuts could lead to problems close to home.
“The cancellation of funding for research for cancer, for child health, the funding for Hanford and the employees that have been left out that are critical to science are critical for our mission here,” Minette said.
The protest in Richland is part of a larger movement occurring across the country, including cities like Yakima and Washington D.C. The proposed cuts have led to colleges freezing hiring and reducing the number of Ph.D. students they accept.
Minette expressed concerns about the long-term impact on education.
“For our students, if we aren’t educating the people coming up, we’re going to have nothing in a few years,” Minette said.
Other protestors emphasized the importance of their demonstration, saying the U.S. could fall behind other countries in scientific research and discoveries.
NonStopLocal reached out to the Benton County Republican Party for comment on the funding cuts but did not hear back. Yakima County Republicans’ Chairman Matt Brown stated he didn’t know enough about the subject to comment.
