Key facts
- A proposed overhaul of federal grant-making could place nearly $1tn in funding under the control of political appointees.
- The proposal aims to ban 'DEI' programs and 'anti-American values' in federally funded research.
- Scientists and organizations have submitted nearly half a million public comments, with over 95% in opposition.
- 22 state attorneys general have opposed the rule and are preparing legal challenges.
- The National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant for social epidemiologist Nancy Krieger was canceled.
Scientists are expressing widespread opposition to a proposed overhaul of the federal grant-making process, which they fear could institutionalize chaos and ideological control over research funding. The proposal, from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), would place nearly $1tn in grant-making under the control of political appointees, potentially impacting areas from healthcare and education to environmental protections and scientific research.
Social epidemiologist Nancy Krieger of Harvard School of Public Health described her experience of having her nearly $1m NIH grant canceled as 'complete shock and dismay.' She noted that this cancellation was one of the first R-01 grant cancellations, part of a broader trend attributed to efforts to end research on topics like gender, race, and equity. Krieger is now a leading voice against the new OMB proposal.
Sara Rosenbaum, professor emerita at George Washington University, stated that the proposal affects 'the entirety of the federal grant-making process,' extending far beyond research. The proposal has drawn significant criticism, with nearly half a million public comments submitted, overwhelmingly in opposition. Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin has called the proposal illegal and a threat to American health and safety, suggesting it is being used to punish perceived enemies.
The proposed rule, informally known as 'the OMB rule,' aims to ban diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs, prohibit 'anti-American values,' and discourage international scientific collaboration. It would also allow the government to cancel awards no longer aligned with federal 'interest,' a provision researchers experienced when grants on disparate impacts and gender were canceled in spring 2025.
Twenty-two state attorneys general have united against the proposal, with California's Attorney General Rob Bonta urging the OMB to withdraw it, stating it attempts to 'weaponize essential federal funding.' OMB Director Russell Vought, however, has dismissed criticism from non-profits as a 'freakout by those on the left,' and the White House 'fraud taskforce' claims the rule will prevent funding 'woke NGOs with partisan agendas.' The Heritage Foundation supports the rule.