SUMMARYThe Office of Management and Budget proposed a new rule in May that would change how federal grants are managed, including funding for most U.S. scientific research. The proposal would give political priorities greater influence over grant decisions and add bureaucracy around activities such as publishing papers and attending conferences. Public feedback on the rule is due by Monday, July 13.
Near the end of May, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed a new rule that would govern how the federal government handles the grants it issues, including those that fund the vast majority of scientific research in the US.
If formalized, the rule would make political priorities the prime determinant of what science gets funded and sideline the opinions of scientific experts. Grants could be canceled due to political whims, and new layers of bureaucracy would inhibit basic scientific activities like publishing papers and attending conferences. Unlike the executive orders it echoes, it would have the force of law behind it and be significantly harder to challenge in court.
Before coming into force, however, the proposal must go through a process that includes public feedback and (potentially) changes in response. The deadline for that feedback—Monday, July 13—is rapidly approaching.