Congress has paused a Trump administration plan to give political appointees sweeping control over federal research grants. The House approved a stopgap funding bill Tuesday that extends government operations through early December, now awaiting President Trump’s signature. The bill’s passage relied on a Senate version that included a provision blocking the Office of Management and Budget from rewriting grant rules.
The Senate’s budget language, passed in August, explicitly bars the OMB from implementing changes that would let political officials cancel grants or dictate which science gets funded. The proposal had drawn sharp criticism from scientific and health organizations, who warned it would politicize research funding.
The stopgap measure now heads to Trump’s desk, where it is expected to become law before the midterm elections. Researchers and advocates will monitor whether the provision remains intact in future budget negotiations.
