Trump administration science policies face criticism over proposed grant rules

A new set of proposed rules released in May by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) outlines dozens of changes to the US Code of Federal Regulations governing grants and federal financial assistance, according to a commentary by Daniel Malinsky, an assistant professor of biostatistics at Columbia University. The rules would undermine the scientific peer review process and codify oversight of award decisions by political appointees, requiring grants to be evaluated on whether they advance the president’s policy priorities. The proposed rules also prohibit the use of funds to support bilateral or multilateral collaborations with covered foreign countries or entities, which could create obstacles for US scientists working with Chinese counterparts on topics such as cancer, environmental health, or new technologies. Professional scientific associations including the American Astronomical Society have stated that the proposed rule would cause significant harm to the scientific community, research institutions, and professional societies. The comment period on the OMB proposal closes on July 14th. Additionally, Science magazine reports that the National Science Foundation is cutting budgets for basic science research programs and redirecting money to a new $1.5 billion initiative called “X-Labs” meant to support new products and technologies by looking outside traditional institutions.

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Sources: The Guardian