US grant rule sparks science concerns by lawmakers

Washington: A coalition of more than 40 US lawmakers has urged the Trump administration to withdraw a proposed federal grant regulation, warning that it would inject politics into scientific funding decisions, weaken American innovation and undermine the country’s ability to compete with rivals such as China.

In a letter to Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought, the lawmakers from California, led by Senator Adam Schiff, Representatives Zoe Lofgren and Salud Carbajal, argued that the proposed “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance” would fundamentally change how federal research grants are awarded by giving political appointees greater control over the review process.

“The rule is unprecedented, expansive, and applies across the federal government to every agency that reviews grants and other financial assistance proposals. It would allow political appointees to control all aspects of the grant review process, setting the stage for politically motivated decision-making that places the whims of the President over the well-being of the American people,” the lawmakers wrote.

The signatories said California, one of the largest recipients of federal research funding and home to many of the world’s leading universities and technology companies, would be particularly affected. They argued that merit-based, independent scientific review has driven American advances in medicine, engineering, national security and technology for more than 75 years.

“It is critical that federal funding of scientific research remain independent,” the lawmakers said, urging OMB to preserve “the rigor and objectivity of its grantmaking processes so that federal grantmaking can remain free of partisanship and political agendas.”

The letter warned that replacing peer review with political oversight would slow scientific progress across multiple sectors.

“The proposed rule would weaken the scientific foundations of experimental research, slowing the development of new treatments, strategies for environmental protection, technologies to expand our knowledge of space, and solutions to some of our most pressing questions,” it said.

The lawmakers also argued that the proposal would damage the United States’ global competitiveness by weakening the STEM talent pipeline and making it harder for universities, researchers and businesses to attract international talent.

They cautioned that China is increasing investments in scientific research while the proposed rule could allow political appointees without technical expertise to influence NASA and other federal science agencies.

The letter further warned that biomedical research could suffer if grants were terminated on broad “national interest” grounds. Such uncertainty, it said, could delay research into cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, heart disease, infectious diseases and other serious illnesses, while disrupting long-term clinical trials and wasting previous federal investments.

The lawmakers also expressed concern that universities would face restrictions on publication costs and research topics.

“The effects of this rulemaking could reverberate for generations. With such funding uncertainty and unpredictability, California and the rest of the country will backslide behind other nations in the areas of health, innovation, research, and scientific development. As such, we strongly urge you to rescind your proposed rule,” the lawmakers concluded.

Federal research funding has long been a cornerstone of the United States’ scientific ecosystem, supporting universities, national laboratories and private-sector partnerships that have produced advances in medicine, aerospace, computing and clean energy. California consistently receives one of the largest shares of federal research grants because of its concentration of research institutions and technology companies.

IANS