Political Control Over Scientific Merit: New US Grant Rules Threaten Research Independence

The proposed OMB rules fundamentally shift grant allocation from merit-based peer review to political control, empowering government appointees to override scientists and cancel funding based on vague 'national interest' criteria. This threatens the competitive excellence system that made the US a global science leader. The new authority risks chilling research innovation, deterring international collaboration, and transforming how federal funding supports American scientific advancement.