ASPB is deeply concerned by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed revisions to Universal Guidance – formally “Regulation Codifying Policies on Federal Financial Assistance; revisions to 2 CFR 91” – which is currently open for public comment through July 13, 2026. If implemented as proposed, these changes would fundamentally alter how scientific research is funded, communicated, and conducted in the United States. Among other things, the proposed rule would shift key funding decisions away from established scientific review processes, increase political oversight of research awards, create new barriers to international scientific collaboration, restrict support for conference participation and scientific publishing, and expand the government’s ability to terminate active grants.
ASPB remains committed to advocating for policies that support robust scientific research, evidence-based decision-making, international collaboration, and the free exchange of scientific knowledge. And so we are actively monitoring the situation, engaging robustly with sibling associations and our legislative affairs consultants, Lewis-Burke Associates, with a view toward formulating our own substantive response. We have already joined a coalition letter that directly requests that OMB extend the comment period through August, given the vast and transformative changes that are proposed.
ACTION REQUESTED
Share your personal stories with OMB by July 13 about why federal research grant programs are important and urge the agency to withdraw its proposed revisions to the Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance. Please be sure to personalize your comments so they are individually considered by the agency. Comments that are too similar to others may carry less weight. When crafting your message, consider:
- How losing or restricting federal grants could impact you personally.
- How proposed funding restrictions could ultimately impact communities, society, or research institutions.
- Why research funding decisions should be based on scientific merit, not politics.
Those who would like to stay updated on policy matters can follow the policy blog on ASPB.
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