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Story perspectives

OMB Rule, Massive Staff Losses Slash R&D Funding

6/3/2026

24 5 Full Breakdown

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Story summary
  • The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed a rule requiring political appointees to approve grant awards, raising corruption risk.
  • Federal science agencies lost nearly 118,000 employees from Sep 2024 to Feb 2026.
  • Cuts slashed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) staff by 41.7% and Alaska’s federal science workforce by 36.7%.
  • R&D spending fell a quarter between FY 2024 and FY 2025, cutting funding in 36 states and two-thirds of districts.