Policy Updates
MAY 29, 2026 — The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a proposed rule that would make drastic changes to the federal guidance impacting all forms of federal financial assistance, which includes research grants.
The rule, which alters the Uniform Guidance governing all federal financial assistance, significantly expands the authority of OMB and other political appointees to approve, cancel, block, or otherwise interfere with the federal grantmaking process.
Some of the changes included in the proposed rule include:
- Requiring new grant programs to align with Administration priorities rather than stated need, statutory mandate, or community feedback
- Requiring political appointees to sign off on grants before they are awarded
- Allowing for grants to be terminated at any time if they are found to be “inconsistent with program goals or agency priorities”
- Blocking federal funds from being used to “fund, promote, encourage, subsidize, or facilitate DEI or DEIA policies or practices”
- Limiting international research collaborations without explicit permission
- Giving OMB the authority to limit eligibility for grant programs based on an applicant’s membership in professional or advocacy groups
Submit a Comment on the Proposed OMB Rule
Members of the public can submit comments sharing feedback on this proposed OMB rule, which can be as short or as long as desired. Comments will be accepted through July 13, 2026. APSA joined more than 300 organizations across science, research, policy, and education to request that OMB extend the comment period. Additionally, APSA is planning to submit a comment. View the letter here.
The advocacy organization Stand Up for Science has developed a comment submission form to quickly and easily help the public send personalized comments to OMB. APSA members are encouraged to submit a comment using the form here.
For guidance on submitting a comment on any of four key categories of concern to scientists, please visit: Comment on OMB proposed rule for federal financial assistance | American Physical Society.
Advocacy Roundup
NSF Update – APSA’s government relations staff have been working to educate Members of Congress and the public about the importance of NSF and recent issues impacting the SBE Directorate through meetings with congressional offices. APSA Staff will continue to push for legislation protecting SBE throughout the appropriations process through meetings with Congressional offices, partner coalitions, and stakeholder engagement.
On May 12, several current and former APSA Presidents wrote an independent letter to the Chair and Vice Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging support of the United States’ science and technology enterprise in FY 2027 appropriations. The letter informs committee members of the Trump Administration’s proposed cuts to NSF and dismantling of the Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences. Read the letter here.
This letter is not an official APSA statement. It is an independent letter issued by former and some current APSA leadership in their personal capacities. APSA is sharing this statement for members’ awareness and wishes to express its appreciation to the signatories.
APSA recently began accepting endorsements from other political science organizations on the April 10th statement condemning the proposed budget request for NSF and the proposed closure of the SBE Directorate. The full list of endorsements is available here. Additional endorsements will be added to the list as they are accepted.
NSB Statement – On May 18, APSA issued a statement condemning the dismissal of all 22 members of the National Science Board, the advisory and oversight body governing the National Science Foundation. Read the full statement here.
Calls to Action
APSA members are urged to write to their members of Congress and request protection of the SBE Directorate from the Presidents’ budget request proposal. This proposal is alarming as the SBE Directorate is responsible for nearly two-thirds of funding for academic research in the social and behavioral sciences in the U.S. and will have far reaching consequences for American innovation and workforce development. Advocacy messages can be sent quickly to Members of Congress through this Action Alert led by COSSA.
Available Resources
- APSA members interested in advocating for social sciences are encouraged to review COSSA’s “At-Home Advocacy Guide” designed to familiarize advocates on the basics of government advocacy. This guide provides strategies for advocates to educate policymakers on Capitol Hill or federal agencies about federally funded scientific research.
- In addition, COSSA’s Key Messaging Talking Point Guide is a resource for scientific community and other stakeholders to help articulate the value of the social, behavioral, and economic sciences to policy and public audiences.
Bill Watch
APSA is monitoring the advancement of H.R.1048, the “DETERRENT ACT” which passed in the House of Representatives in 2025 and is rumored to be up for consideration in the Senate. This bill revises disclosure requirements for both higher education institutions and their staff and most importantly, requires academic institutions to apply for and obtain a waiver from the Secretary of Education before entering any contract with a country of concern or a foreign entity of concern. The legislation compels faculty members at American universities to report small monetary gifts from foreign entities and individuals which would then be made publicly available on the institutions’ website. This information would be subject to open-records requests and potentially expose sensitive information about faculty in American universities.
If passed by the Senate, the legislation will have far reaching consequences for America’s scientific enterprise, including the social sciences. The bill expands the authority of the Department of Education to restrict American universities from engaging in any activities with countries of concern effectively reducing opportunities for educational, cultural, and informational exchange between the U.S. and countries such as China.
APSA will provide updates as they are made available.
Contact APSA for Advocacy Assistance
Are you being impacted by new policies in your state, locality or institution? Contact APSA to share your experience and learn more about possible options to be an advocate for yourself and for the discipline of political science. Reach out to advocacy@apsanet.org for inquiries or questions about advocacy.
The American Political Science Association (APSA) Advocacy Program advances the discipline of political science by educating policy makers and the citizenry about political science scholarship and education. APSA seeks to increase federal support for basic and applied political science research, to promote independent peer review, and to advocate for academic freedom. Opt-in for more Advocacy updates from APSA here.