A staple since COSSAâs earliest days, the biweekly COSSA Washington Update newsletter provides members and the public with comprehensive coverage of policy developments impacting social and behavioral science research.Â
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…
House and Senate Hold Policy and Budget Hearings on the Dept. of Education
With the fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations process ramping up, Congress has been holding hearings on budget and policy priorities for various departments and agencies, including the Department of Education. On June 3, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations subcommittee invited Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to defend the departmentâs FY 2026 budget request. The following day, the House Education and Workforce Committee held a hearing âExamining the Policies and Priorities of the Department of Education,â with Secretary McMahon again testifying before the committee. The Senate LHHS budget hearing focused on the detailed…
House Science Committee Democrats Want to Hear from PIs
The Democratic staff of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee have released a survey to collect information on the impacts that grant cancellations by the Trump Administration are having on the scientific community. Researchers who have had their research grants terminated or otherwise affected since January 20 are encouraged to respond to the survey.
President Trump Executive Actions
Trump Administration Actions (all actions available here): Find COSSA’s full list of Trump’s Executive Actions and more information here or on the Social Science Space Tracker.
Latest from the White House (June 10)
Presidentâs Budget for Next Year would Decimate Federal Science Funding On May 30, the Trump Administration began releasing additional details of its budget request for fiscal year (FY) 2026, which begins on October 1. [Note: The FY 2026 budget request is different from the âOne Big Beautiful Billâ that is working its way through Congress (see COSSAâs coverage for clarification)]. While the entire budget is not yet available for certain federal agencies, the details that are available include massive cuts to agency budgets and major structural reorganizations. As always, COSSA is producing an in-depth analysis of the Presidentâs FY 2026 budget request. Until then, a few…
Trump Science Advisor Outlines Science Vision
On May 19, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) hosted a conversation with Michael Kratsios, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). A recording is available here. A discussion with NAS President Marcia McNutt followed Kratsiosâ remarks. Kratsios expressed strong opinions about the current state of the U.S. scientific enterprise, stating, âTo empower Americaâs researchers to achieve groundbreaking discoveries and to reinvigorate our national science enterprise, we must scrutinize our existing approach and recommit ourselves to best practices.â He contended that despite âsoaringâ biomedical research budgets in recent years, âscientific progress has stalled,â and that âmore…
Dr. Amber Northern Tasked with Reforming IES
On May 30, the Department of Education welcomed Dr. Amber Northern as Senior Advisor, announcing that she will be tasked with reforming the Institute of Education Sciences (IES). In the departmentâs announcement, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon was quoted: âAs we return education to the states, itâs essential that educators have access to accurate data to inform their work and develop best practices. Dr. Northernâs deep expertise in education statistics and years of experience in the classroom will be an asset as we re-envision the work of IES.â Northern serves as Senior Vice President for Research at the Thomas B. Fordham Institute…
NASEM Hosts Second Annual State of the Science Address
On June 3, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) hosted the State of the Science Address, an annual discussion on the status of science, technology, engineering, and medicine (STEM) in the U.S. (see previous COSSA coverage). During her opening remarks, President of the National Academy of Sciences, Marcia McNutt, discussed the decline of the STEM workforce and interest in research and development (R&D) in the U.S., comparing the U.S. to global competitors, such as China. She briefly discussed the significant budget cuts and grant cancellations proposed by the Trump Administration, and the detrimental impacts they would have on the…
Now Available: May Headlines Webinar Recording
On May 21, COSSA hosted the most recent installment in the Headlines Webinar series. Mayâs meeting focused on the many challenges confronting higher education in this new political reality and featured guest speaker Tobin Smith, Senior Vice President for Government Relations & Public Policy at the Association of American Universities (AAU). The recording is available to view here. Recordings of previous Headlines webinars can be found on the COSSA website. Check back often for newly announced webinars.
House Passes Reconciliation Package; Senate Considering Changes
On May 22, the House of Representatives passed their reconciliation package, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (H.R.1), in a 215-214 vote. The bill included sweeping cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and other welfare programs to pay for President Trumpâs new tax plan as well as additional funding for immigration enforcement and border security. As previously reported by COSSA, the budget reconciliation process has been controversial, even among Republican members of Congress. Representatives Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Warren Davidson (R-OH) were the only two Republicans to vote against the âbig, beautiful bill.â Representative Andy Harris (R-MD) voted…
Congress Hosts HHS Secretary Kennedy for FY 2026 Budget Hearings
As the fiscal year (FY) 2026 appropriations process gets underway, Congress invited Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), to defend the agencyâs budget request in both chambers (see previous COSSA coverage). On May 14, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee and the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee held separate hearings while the Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee held their respective hearing on May 20. In both chambers, Congress raised concerns over FY 2025, questioning Secretary Kennedy on whether the agency is withholding funding that has been appropriated by Congress, which…
House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Holds Department of Education Budget Hearing
On May 21, the House Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations subcommittee held a hearing about the Department of Educationâs budget request for the upcoming Fiscal Year (FY) 2026, with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon testifying for the committee. The hearing was sharply divided, with subcommittee Democrats, led by Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), extensively questioning Secretary McMahon about the Trump Administrationâs decimation of the Department. Chairman Robert Aderholt (R-AL) and the committeeâs other Republican members praised the proposed cuts and focused their questioning on other aspects of the proposed budget, such as school choice….
Welch, Baldwin Host Two-Day Forum to Spotlight How Americans are Harmed by Trumpâs HHS Actions
Senators Peter Welch (D-VT) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) held a two-day forum to spotlight how Americans are being harmed by the Trump Administrationâs mass firings at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This comes after the Senators hosted a similar townhall on Trump and Muskâs Cuts to Cancer and Alzheimerâs Disease Cures (see previous COSSA coverage). During the two-day forum, Sens. Welch and Baldwin invited former federal agencies officials, including Dr. Anne Schuchat, former Principal Deputy Director at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Ms. Trina Dutta, former Chief of Staff at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health…
Senators, Science Leaders Discuss NSF Cuts
Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) hosted a press event on May 20 to discuss the impacts Trump Administration actions are having on the U.S. scientific enterprise and, in particular, the National Science Foundation (NSF). Sen. Cantwell serves as Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee, which has oversight over the NSF. In her opening remarks, Cantwell noted that at the time of the event, the Administration has terminated 1,530 research grants totaling more than $1 billion. In addition, the President is seeking a 55 percent cut to NSF in the fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget….
Virginia Rep. Gerry Connolly Passes Away
Longtime Northern Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) passed away on May 21 after a battle with esophageal cancer; Connolly announced his cancer diagnosis in November. First elected to the House of Representatives in 2008, Rep. Connolly had been a vocal advocate for the federal workforce, many of whom reside in his suburban DC district. His website includes resources for federal employees who have been affected by Trump Administration actions. Connolly has also been a longtime advocate for mental health. Rep. Connolly introduced the Esophageal Cancer Awareness Act on May 20 prior to his passing.
Latest from the White House (May 27)
COSSA continues to follow the flurry of executive actions taken by the Trump Administration and the impact those actions are having on the social and behavioral science community. Below are some of the latest developments coming out of the White House. Past updates are available here. DOD Announces 15% Indirect Cost Cap Earlier this month, the Department of Defense (DOD) announced that it will immediately begin imposing a flat 15 percent indirect cost rate on research sponsored by the department. According to the memo, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noted that the cap will not be limited to new grants, but that existing awards…
President Trump Issues EO to Restore ‘Gold Standard in Science’
On May 23, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO), Restoring Gold Standard Science. The EO indicates that science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) research is facing a âreproducibility crisisâ which the order claims is a result of researchers’ âfalsification of dataâ and the Federal Agencies publication of âhighly misleadingâ research. The EO also took aim at diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies that âfurther politicized science,â aligning with previous EOâs dismantling similar policies (see previous COSSA coverage). The Trump Administration has tasked the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) to issue guidance for agencies on the…
National Science Board Statement on âNext Generation NSFâ
On May 16, marking the 75th anniversary of the creation of the National Science Foundation (NSF), the National Science Board (NSB) issued a statement, âWinning the Race for the Future with the National Science Foundation.â The statement acknowledges the risks facing the U.S. in ceding its scientific leadership to other countries. However, it remains silent on recent actions taken by the Trump Administration such as terminating research grants and the Presidentâs proposal to cut agency funding by more than half. Instead, citing the changing science and engineering landscape and increasing administrative burden on researchers, the Board calls for reforms to create…
NSF Releases List of Terminated Grants
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has publicly posted a list of grants that have been terminated as of May 21, 2025 in response to Trump Administration directives. The spreadsheet can be accessed on the NSF âUpdates on Prioritiesâ FAQ website; a direct link to the spreadsheet can be accessed here. The database shows a total of 1,752 grants having been terminated, totaling $1.4 billion. As has been reported, the data show the largest hit taken by the STEM Education Directorate (EDU), which to date has had 839 grants terminated totaling $888 million. The EDU cuts represent 48 percent of the total…
AAAS Accepting Nominations for 2026 Awards & Prizes
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) announced that nominations are now open for the following awards and prizes: AAAS also sponsors a wide range of other awards and prizes recognizing scientists, engineers, authors, journalists and public servants for significant contributions to science and the publicâs understanding of science. The deadline for all nominations is June 30, 2025 and winners will be announced in early 2026. Learn more on the AAAS website.