Senate Blocks OMB Rule Letting Political Appointees Review Federal Grants Through Dec. 11
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Aug 7
Senate Blocks OMB Rule Letting Political Appointees Review Federal Grants Through Dec. 11
3 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Aug 7
Summary
A Senate funding deal this week halted the Trump administration’s OMB rule that would have subjected federal grants, including research money, to review by political appointees.
The measure, pushed by OMB Director Russell Vought, would have inserted political oversight into grant decisions long handled through peer review by scientists and other subject-matter experts.
The stopgap is not permanent: a continuing resolution advanced on Aug. 5 delays the rule until Dec. 11, 2026, after senators moved to avert a government shutdown.
The fight sits inside a broader Trump push on universities and science, including pressure on campuses, tighter limits on foreign PhD visas and proposals to shift more research decision-making toward private companies.