Issue 11 (June 2)

At the end of May, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a proposed rule, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, that would make major changes to the Uniform Guidance governing federal financial assistance, including federal research grants. The rule would implement proposals made by the Trump Administration through various executive orders over the last year, including the Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking order and Restoring Gold Standard Science order, among others.

Among the changes are, but not limited to:

• Requiring that every new grant program explicitly aligns with the Administration’s policies and priorities, as opposed to scientific need, statutory mandate, or scientific community advice.
• Requiring that political appointees (not career scientists or program officers) within federal agencies sign off on grants before they are awarded to ensure that the funding will be used to “demonstrably advance the President’s policy priorities.”
• Allowing for the termination of grants at anytime (including retroactively) if they are found to be “inconsistent with program goals or agency priorities.” Currently this could only be accomplished if there was evidence of noncompliance or fraud on the part of the awardee.
• Completely blocking federal funds from being used to “fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate DEI or DEIA policies or practices…”
• Significantly limiting international research collaborations.
• Giving OMB authority to limit eligibility for grant programs, including to nonprofit organizations or based on an applicant’s membership in certain professional or advocacy groups.

Proposed changes to the Uniform Guidance have been anticipated for several months. Still the sweeping nature of the changes, if implemented, would fundamentally alter the way research is supported in U.S.

Public comments are due July 13. COSSA will provide additional information to members in the coming weeks. Not a member? Learn how to join. 

It has been a particularly challenging few months for the National Science Foundation (NSF), between a massive, proposed budget cut, removal of members of the National Science Board (NSB), and the proposal to eliminate the Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE).

Along with our many partners across the STEM enterprise, COSSA has been working tirelessly to urge Congress to reject the President’s proposal to eliminate the SBE Directorate in FY 2027. We have also been engaging on the many other challenges currently confronting NSF.

On June 4, join us for the next Town Hall meeting to hear the latest on the advocacy community’s efforts to save SBE and NSF. Register now.

This meeting is limited to those affiliated with COSSA member organizations. Not a member? Contact wnaus@cossa.org.

As previously reported, Congress has officially turned to its work on the fiscal year (FY) 2027 appropriations bills. The House Appropriations Committee has already advanced 7 of the 12 spending bills out of committee, including the Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies (CJS) bill (see analysis). The House has kept to the schedule they released in April, and is on track to mark up the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) bill later this week on June 5 (watch live here). On the other side of the Hill, the Senate has started working on their respective bills and is scheduled to consider the first batch of bills, including the CJS bill that funds the National Science Foundation, June 4 (watch live here).

Further, primaries for the upcoming midterm elections continue to shake up leadership on the Hill. In addition to Sen. Bill Cassidy’s loss in the Louisiana Republican primary election, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who currently serves as Senate Majority Whip, recently lost in the Texas Republican primary runoff election after serving four terms. As election season continues, leadership vacuums could signal priority shifts in the upcoming year.

Stay tuned for COSSA’s continued coverage of the 119th Congress.

On May 21, Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) defended the NIH fiscal year (FY) 2027 budget request before the Senate Labor, Health, and Human Services, Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee. During the hearing, Bhattacharya fielded concerns from both sides of the aisle about the Trump Administration’s proposed 12 percent cut to the agency (see analysis).

In her opening remarks, Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) voiced her support for NIH-funded research, and highlighted the importance of cancer research and supporting rural communities. When remarks turned to Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the Senator pressed the Director on the Trump Administration’s termination of NIH grants, reductions in force (RIFs), and the slowed release of grants out of the agency. She stated that the cost of the President’s budget request would be “fewer treatments and cures, lost loved ones, and an entire generation of scientists gone.” Further, Ranking Member Baldwin raised concerns about the Trump Administration’s multi-year funding plan, citing that it has “locked away $2.5 billion” that could have otherwise funded research grants this year.

Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who serves as the Chair of the full Appropriations Committee, echoed these concerns, and expressed disappointment that the Trump Administration once again included a proposal to cap indirect research costs despite Congress blocking a similar proposal last year. When questioned by the Senator for more details on the proposal, Bhattacharya argued that the current system does not allow for smaller universities and colleges to compete for research grants but stopped short at providing a more in-depth look at the proposal.

On the other side of the aisle, Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-WA) slammed the proposed budget, stating, “I hope this committee rejects that request and works to make sure that we provide opportunity for Americans when it comes to biomedical research.” In response to her concerns, Bhattacharya reaffirmed the agencies’ commitment to supporting health research across the country and argued that the funding cut was necessary to “right size” the federal budget.

A recording of the hearing can be found here. Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage of the appropriations process.

Registration is now open for The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)’s upcoming public webinar Shaping the Next Era of NIMHD Science: Current Status, Emerging Opportunities, and Scientific Priorities.

In this public webinar, NIMHD leadership will provide updates on NIMHD’s vision of health disparities science, emerging research opportunities to address health disparities and improve population health, as well as current scientific priorities. Presentations will be followed by a Q&A. Speakers include:

• Dr. Monica Webb Hooper, NIMHD Acting Director
• Dr. Larissa Avilés-Santa, Director of the Division of Clinical and Health Services Research and Acting Director of the Office of Extramural Research Activities
• Dr. Nathaniel Stinson, Director of the Division of Community Health and Population Science and Acting Director of theDivision of Integrative Biological and Behavioral Research

The webinar will be taking place on June 22 at 1:00pm EST. Register now via the online form. Send any questions or comments to nimhdinfo@nimhd.nih.gov.