Search Results: AI
Senate Republicans Warn Against Grant Terminations at NIH
Six Republican Senators penned a letter to Trump Administration officials last month raising concern about âthe potential effects of terminating ongoing, multi-year research grants after significant federal resources have already been invested,â specifically at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Instead, the letter, which is signed by Sens. David H. McCormick (R-PA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Susan Collins (R-ME), Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS) and Steve Daines (R-MT), asks that efforts be made to modify funded projects that may not currently align with Administration priorities to âhelp advance the Administrationâs objectives while preserving the value of taxpayer investments already made.â…
Call for Experts: Standing Committee on Use of AI in Science
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is seeking suggestions for experts to participate in the new Standing Committee on Use of AI in Science: Integrity, Trust, and Innovation in the Scientific Enterprise. The committee will examine how artificial intelligence is challenging established norms, standards, and governance mechanisms within scientific research, with particular attention to research trustworthiness, reproducibility, transparency, and alignment with societal values. The committee will host a series of public sessions addressing issues including research integrity and reproducibility, transparency and trustworthiness, authorship and accountability, and peer review. A small group of experts will also develop issue…
House Science Committee Requests GAO Review of Federal and State AI Regulations
On February 18, the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Committee requested that the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) produce a comprehensive review of Federal and State Artificial Intelligence (AI) regulations. The letter, which was led by Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) and Research and Technology Subcommittee Chairman Jay Obernolte (R-CA), highlights several legislative efforts taken to regulate AI in recent years and notes that the requested review is intended to âhelp ensure Congress has a clear understanding of the existing regulatory landscape as it evaluates the appropriate path forward for artificial intelligence policy.â Notably, the Committee pointed to several requests from…
Congress Requests Briefings from Scientific Research Agencies on Safeguarding Against Foreign-Linked Compromised Research
On February 5, House Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Brian Babin (R-TX) and Investigations and Oversight Subcommittee Chairman Rich McCormick (R-GA) sent letters to several agencies, including the National Science Foundation (NSF), Department of Energy (DOE), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), raising concerns about âfalsified researchâ published from âpaper millsâ funded by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). In their letter to NSF, the Chairmen wrote: âSuch false research can negatively impact the scientific community and set back fundamental and critical research for years before it is identified. As a…
OPM Final Rule Expands Excepted Service, Raises Workforce Concerns
The White House Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has finalized a sweeping rule that expands the use of the excepted service by creating âSchedule Policy/Career,â a new category covering career employees in policy-influencing roles (see previous coverage). While OPM frames the change as a way to improve accountability and responsiveness, critics warn it weakens long-standing civil service protections. Under the rule, career employees (e.g., nonpolitical appointees) whose roles are of a âconfidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating characterâ may be reclassified into Schedule Policy/Career. They will retain competitive status but lose key procedural protections, including appeal rights for adverse actions and performance-based removals. OPM…
Kratsios Defends Federal AI Standards in House Science Committee Hearing
On January 14, Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Michael Kratsios defended the Trump Administrationâs federal standards on artificial intelligence (AI) in front of the House Science, Space, and Technology (SST) Committee. As previously reported, the Trump Administration unveiled Winning the Race: Americaâs AI Action Plan last year, which outlines future federal policy actions designed to ensure the U.S. is a leader in global AI development across scientific, practical, and creative uses. Notably, Congressional members raised concerns about the Administrationâs restriction of stateâs ability to pass laws on AI development and usage, which was passed as a provision in the Big, Beautiful Bill…
CRS Reports Explain Recent Changes to NIH Grantmaking
The Congressional Research Service (CRS) recently released reports explaining some of the notable changes in grants policy at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). CRS is a component of the Library of Congress and is required by law to provide Members of Congress and staff with timely, confidential, and nonpartisan research and analysis on issues of national policy, as requested. Reports do not provide policy recommendations, but instead, ensure that Members of Congress are given the best possible information on which they can base policy decisions. While directed at Congress, many CRS reports are publicly available and can serve as…
ICYMI: New Executive Order Takes Aim at State AI Laws
On December 11, the White House issued its latest Executive Order (EO) related to artificial intelligence (AI), Ensuring a National Policy Framework for Artificial Intelligence. The order states its aim to allow companies to innovate by eliminating âcumbersome regulationâ at the federal level through the establishment of a âminimally burdensome national policy framework for AI.â Until national standards governing AI can be established, the EO directs the Attorney General to form an âAI Litigation Task Forceâ responsible for identifying and challenging state laws that appear inconsistent with the federal policy. Through the evaluation the Task Force will be looking for state laws…
Trump Administration launches AI-focused âGenesis Missionâ
On November 24, the White House issued an executive order (EO), Launching the Genesis Mission. It is the latest action by the Trump Administration seeking to establish American leadership in artificial intelligence (AI). Genesis Mission, according to the EO, will âunleash a new age of AI-accelerated innovation and discoveryâ by â[building] an integrated AI platform to harness Federal scientific datasetsâthe worldâs largest collection of such datasets, developed over decades of Federal investmentsâto train scientific foundation models and create AI agents to test new hypotheses, automate research workflows, and accelerate scientific breakthroughs.â The Department of Energy (DOE) is tasked with implementing the mission with…
Federal Agencies Reopen with Uncertainty
The 44-day government shutdown created chaos and uncertainty across federal agencies. Now that the government has reopened, federal employees are back to work but face new uncertainties about the future. Acting Director of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Brian Stone circulated a memo to staff outlining the agencyâs plans for resuming its activities. According to the memo, priority will be placed on processing backpay for employees and restoring NSFâs capacity to make awards. However, the memo explains that as a result of the lapse in funding, the agency will not be able to administer all of its programs as planned. The memo…
ICYMI: Graduates of U.S. Institutions Exempt from $100,000 H-1B Fee, Questions Remain
In September, a White House proclamation, Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers, was issued stating, âthe entry into the United States of aliens as nonimmigrants to perform services in a specialty occupation under [the H-1B visa program], is restricted, except for those aliens whose petitions are accompanied or supplemented by a payment of $100,000.â The fee applies to petitions filed after September 21, 2025. The announcement caused concern and confusion across the higher education and research communities, including whether the fee is intended for private sector employers or if it would also apply to U.S. colleges and universities who rely…
As Shutdown Continues, Federal Employees Face RIFs and Pay Uncertainty
Congress remains at a standstill as the government shutdown continues, with little progress having been made since our previous reporting. As the holiday season rapidly approaches, so too does the House-passed continuing resolution (CR) deadline of November 21, which has failed to pass several times in the Senate. Recent rumors suggest that the Republican-majority may seek to extend the deadline in their version of the bill past the holidays, or as proposed by House Ways and Means Committee Chair Jason Smith (R-MO), into December 2026 after the midterm elections. If that were to occur, the federal government would keep FY 2024…
July Headlines Webinar Recording Now Available
On July 28, COSSA hosted the recent installment in the 2025 Headlines Webinar series. July’s meeting featured a discussion with research policy experts from COGR on topics like indirect costs, research compliance, and other timely developments impacting the social and behavioral science community. Featured speakers: The recording is now available on the COSSA website. Headlines is a webinar series available to COSSA member organizations. Watch for additional webinar announcements, and previous webinar recordings, on the COSSA website.
Senate Releases Spending Bills, Republican Senators Push Back Against NIH Funding Delays
Before departing for August Recess, the Senate advanced several bills through the Appropriations Committee, including the Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) bill, and Labor, Health and Human Services, Education (LHHS) bill (previous COSSA coverage). Both the Senate CJS and LHHS bills included relatively flat funding levels, rejecting the draconian cuts proposed by the Trump Administration earlier this year (see COSSAâs analysis). Notably, on July 31, the Senate Appropriations Committee held a mark-up for the LHHS bill in which several amendments were offered, including Senator Dick Durbinâs (D-IL) call for the Trump Administration to restore all grants that had been terminated. The…
Trump Administration Unveils AI Action Plan
On July 23, the Trump Administration unveiled Winning the Race: America’s AI Action Plan, which outlines future federal policy actions designed to ensure the U.S. is a leader in global Artificial Intelligence (AI) development across scientific, practical, and creative uses. The plan is divided into three pillarsâAccelerating AI Innovation, Building American AI Infrastructure, and Leading in International Diplomacy and Securityâwith various sub-goals, including exporting American AI models, deregulating data center construction and private AI development, increasing the use of AI in the government, and cementing AI skill development as a core part of education and workforce training. The report also details plans…
NIH Suspends Gain of Function Research
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has released a notice to inform the biomedical research community of a termination of funding for gain-of-function research outside of the U.S. and a suspension of funding for any other projects or programs relating to gain-of-function research. Gain-of-function research has been a point of contention for many Congressional Republicans since the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the research (see previous COSSA coverage). The notice, which was prompted by a guidance to NIH by the White House Office of Science and Technology (OSTP), is in-line with the Administrationâs Executive Order (EO) on Improving the Safety and Security of Biological Research,…
Congress Begins FY 26 Appropriations; Reconciliation Remains Uncertain
Following a brief recess for Memorial Day, Congress has returned ready to tackle both budget reconciliation and fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations. As previously reported by COSSA, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1) passed through the House in a 215-214 vote in late May, sending the tax policy package to the Senate. Many members of the Senate have since indicated that the bill would likely see many changes before passing their chamber, and, more recently, House Republicans, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-GA), have come out against the bill, expressing regret for having voted for it. Despite Speaker Mike Johnsonâs (R-LA) self-imposed…