politics
Proposed new US funding rules: We can cancel any grant at any time
Peer review now optional, political staff would screen grants for forbidden topics.
TL;DR
- New proposed federal rules would make political appointees, not peer reviewers, the final decision-makers for US grant funding.
- Agencies would gain the power to cancel any grant at any time based on a vague assertion of "national interest."
- Grants on "culture war" topics, including DEI and gender ideology, would be banned.
- International collaborations, particularly with China, would be restricted, favoring a "domestic-first" approach.
- Costs associated with publishing papers and attending conferences would require advance approval from funding agencies.
- The proposed rules are being implemented through the formal federal rulemaking process via the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).