On May 29, 2026 the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), released a proposed rule (docket OMB-2026-0034-0001) that could fundamentally change how scientific research is funded in the United States. If finalized as written, this rule would give political appointees veto power over peer review, allow the government to cancel active grants mid-project with minimal justification, ban entire categories of science from federal funding, and restrict researchers’ ability to publish their work and attend scientific conferences. The proposal replaces scientific merit with a political loyalty test that could be used to silence research that might produce results that are inconvenient for the administration on issues like life-saving vaccine safety, climate science, and LGBTQ+ health.
As we have heard in our Third Act AZ meetings and in the news, science has taken a beating in the current administration. PEN America has published a list of the Federal Government’s banned/flagged words/phrases including “elderly,” and “water quality.” The OMB wants political appointees to decide what science we the taxpayers are funding with no scientific merit or the rigor of peer review.
Now is your time to comment on this proposed rule. There are 2 options for you.
Option 1 – Submit a form created by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) to voice your opinion. It is editable so you can make your comment personal.
Submit UCS Form
Option 2 – Write your own comment on the Federal Register website.
There are many resources to help you.
- This UCS document gives the specific section numbers for the ruling and key points that you can copy into your comment.
- The Stand Up for Science Foundation provides How to Talk to Anyone About OMB-2026-0034.
- The American Geophysical Union provides an overview of the ruling.
Federal Register Website
