Oppose OMB's Political Attacks on Scientific Research (UPDATED 7/14)

Updates

July 14, 2026: The public comment period on OMB’s Federal Financial Assistance Rule closed at midnight on July 13. Nearly 500,000 comments were submitted, and an analysis of the first 51,000 found that 94 percent opposed the rule change. Opposition came from across the scientific community, including Nobel laureates, as well as organizations like the American Meteorological Society and the American Association for Cancer Research. OMB will now review the comments before deciding whether to finalize the rule on October 1, 2026.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB), led by Project 2025 architect Russell Vought, has proposed sweeping rule changes to the federal grantmaking process. Vought and the Trump administration are attacking the integrity of scientific research under the guise of aligning research priorities to the “national interest”.

The current practice for evaluating scientific grants involves a rigorous “peer review” process where scientific experts score grants for quality. Peer review is considered the gold standard for the evaluation of scientific work, and has been in practice since 1665. Under OMB’s proposed Federal Financial Assistance Rule (OMB-2026-0034), political appointees will now become the decision-makers in the grant approval process.

Additionally, there would be unwarranted and intentionally restrictive rules put in place that bans grants on certain topics, such as DEI and “gender ideology,” and allows for the arbitrary cancellation of grants “inconsistent with program goals or agency priorities.” It would also block spending on publications and limit research conference attendance, which would severely restrict scientific communication and collaborations. Collectively, these restrictions will further decimate the American scientific research community, with the negative impact to be felt for decades.

Demand your representatives block this blatantly political change to the federal grant making process.

NOTE: Proposed rule changes to the federal register require a public comment period where you can express your opinions on a proposed rule change. You can comment on the “Federal Financial Assistance Rule (OMB-2026-0034)” here.

Your comments are PUBLIC so please do not disclose personal information. Comments will be open until July 13, 2026.