OMB Proposes Rule to Give Politicians Final Say on Federal Research Grants

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has published a proposed rule that would fundamentally overhaul the U.S. scientific grant system. Under the new guidelines, political appointees-not peer reviewers-would have the final authority over which research projects receive federal funding. The rule explicitly instructs agencies not to "routinely defer" to scientific peer review.

More critically, the rule would allow any federal agency to cancel any grant at any time, citing a vague "national interest" standard. It also bans funding for projects related to "disparate-impact liability," DEI initiatives, and "gender ideology"-defined as denying the biological reality of sex. International collaborations would be restricted under a "domestic-first" framework, and costs for publishing papers or attending conferences would require case-by-case agency approval.

The OMB claims the rule reduces recipient burden by eliminating DEI requirements, but critics argue it will cripple U.S. science by pulling researchers out of the international community, subjecting grants to culture-war litmus tests, and creating constant funding uncertainty.