Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) has called on the Trump administration to rescind parts of a proposed rule from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that would change the federal grantmaking process. In a letter sent Monday to OMB Director Russell Vought, Collins expressed concerns that the rule could harm small and rural communities and introduce uncertainty into scientific and biomedical research.
The proposed rule, introduced late last month, seeks to codify policies previously pursued through executive orders and agency-level actions. Key provisions include reducing the emphasis on peer review and granting political appointees broad authority to decide which research aligns with the President's policy priorities. The rule would also ban research on diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as gender, as conditions for grants, and broadly prohibit international scientific collaborations.
Collins specifically objected to a clause allowing federal agencies to terminate discretionary grants or federal assistance at any time if deemed in the agency's best interest or to align with agency priorities or the "national interest." She also opposed the requirement for political review of research grants, stating, "Adding this additional review for awards that have already been selected through a scientific, merit-based peer review process would undermine the objective that the federal government fund scientific and biomedical research projects based on scientific merit and value, rather than political ideology."
Her letter follows a similar call from Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who urged Vought to rescind the proposal entirely. OMB Director Vought defended the rule, saying its goal is to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent in a manner "aligned with the president’s agenda, as he got elected on behalf of the entirety of the American people."
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