Senate Leaders Challenge White House Plan to Politicize NIH Grantmaking

Senators Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Patty Murray (D-Washington), chair and ranking member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, publicly opposed reports that the White House intends to give political appointees greater authority over the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) grant-making process. The alleged plan, described by multiple outlets, would add political oversight because the administration believes the agency funds research that conflicts with President Trump’s agenda.

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The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought has reportedly accused NIH of supporting “woke” initiatives, prompting speculation that OMB may issue a rule to review NIH awards. NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya has defended the agency’s merit-based grant system. The Senate’s Continuing Resolution, signed into law on September 2, blocks any OMB rule or similar measure, according to Collins.

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Collins asserted that OMB should not intervene in agency grant decisions and warned that a proposed rule would politicize the process. She referenced her July 6 letter outlining the concern. Murray echoed the sentiment, arguing that grant decisions should hinge on scientific merit and patient benefit, not on political considerations. The White House has not confirmed the reported plans, and no executive order granting an external committee veto power over NIH grants has been issued.

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• “The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) should not be involved in agency decisions on the awards of grants. As I stated in my July 6 letter, a proposed OMB rule would politicize grantmaking. The Continuing Resolution — which passed the Senate, House, and was signed into law on September 2 — blocks OMB’s proposed rule or any substantially similar one,” — Sens. Susan Collins

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• “Any attempt to politicize grantmaking at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), or any other agency, by another means—whether an Executive Order or guidance—is contrary to congressional intent,” — Sens. Susan Collins

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• “Imposing a political review on awards that have already been selected through a rigorous scientific and merit-based process undermines the long-standing principle that the government funds awards based on scientific need and merit, rather than political ideology.” — Murray

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• “President Trump will stop at nothing to defund medical research that fundamentally changes the lives of patients and families across the country, and Republicans need to join us to put a stop to any effort by this administration to politicize what groundbreaking new treatments and cures we decide as a country to invest in — whether that’s an OMB rule or a new executive order,” — Murray

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These statements capture the senators’ view that any political review of NIH awards would undermine a long-standing principle of funding research based on scientific need rather than ideology. The dispute highlights a broader clash between congressional intent and reported executive efforts to reshape federal research funding.

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