America’s standing in science under threat
Since WW II, America’s Science Enterprise has been the world’s gold standard. It was based on transparency, merit, apolitical decisions, expert peer reviews, encouragement of professional collaborations, as well as communicating with the public. This is being threatened by new rules for judging funding applications proposed by the Office of Management and Budget (Federal Register May 29, 2026; Docket OMB-2026-0034; Comment Deadline July 13, 2026; https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2026-10817/regulation-for-federal-financial-assistance
The proposed rules are a sharp departure from those that created our current enterprise.
They prioritize political control over every aspect of federal science funding. To compete, every application must be aligned with the President’s political priorities.
Neither scientific need, statutory mandates, nor expert consensus will be is involved in funding decisions.
Applications can be restricted to politically favored researchers and institutions.
Political appointees will have definitive decision-making authority. Peer review and scientific expertise will be advisory only.
Awards will be made according to “gold standard science” which is never defined and can be a catch-all reason for denying any application.
Grantees will be forbidden to join professional societies, attend conferences, subscribe to journals, or publish in peer-reviewed journals without prior permission. Thus, grantees are restricted from engaging in any collaborations or access to current resources to help guide their work.
Work can be terminated at any time for political reasons.
Ability to share results is impaired by not allowing publication costs or because public communication may be construed as being issue advocacy.
These proposals gut the guardrails that made American Science the most powerful, transformative, and impactful force in the world over the last 75 years. Think of the advances in technology and communications; the products, industries, and jobs that have been created; the medications that have been developed; and, how our understanding of the world and the cosmos have been advanced. All will quickly be gone. This is a societal disaster that will affect education, economy, and every other aspect of our lives. How can this possibly serve the needs of the American public?
If you have interest in commenting, please use the link in this letter to access OMB.