Executive Action Affecting Federal Agencies
Since President Trump was sworn into office on January 20, several executive actions have been taken that have impacted social and behavioral science (SBS) research, including freezes on hiring federal workers and requiring federal workers to return to the office, a halt on all communications, spending, and travel within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and a memorandum from the White House Office of Budget and Management (OMB) instituting a freeze on federal spending across agencies that was rescinded two days later. As previously reported by COSSA, President Trump signed two Executive Orders (EO) implementing a hiring freeze and dismantling work-from-home policies for federal agencies along with several EOs targeting specific programs and research, including the order on Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity (see related article).
On January 27, OMB issued a memorandum freezing virtually all funding administered through federal agencies, requiring the agencies to comply with recent EOs (see full list here) and produce a report on relevant programs no later than February 10. Once OMB reviewed the reports, funding would resume for that agency. However, due to mass confusion and panic about what programs were affected by the freeze and lawsuits filed by state officials, the memorandum was rescinded on January 29. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the OMB memo was rescinded to “end any confusion on federal policy created by the court ruling and the dishonest media coverage” and that efforts to decrease federal spending would continue. While this comment created more confusion than clarification, the rescission of the memorandum does not affect the EO’s directives to dismantle programs that defy the orders. It is important to note that federal funding is set by Congress through the appropriations process and, therefore, these EO’s are likely in violation of the president’s executive power. The lawsuits will likely continue despite the rescission of the OMB memorandum.
A list of notable Trump Executive Orders can be found here. Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage on the Trump Administration and relevant policy to the social and behavioral science community.