Story perspectives

White House Drops NIH Grant Control Executive Order

By Drooid · Sep 24, 2026, 12:54 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The White House dropped the executive order that would have given it control over NIH grant decisions on September 23, 2026.
Senator Susan Collins wrote to OMB Director Russell Vought and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya urging cancellation.
Democratic Appropriations leaders Patty Murray and Rosa DeLauro said the plan would replace peer-review merit with ideology.
The order would have created a board needing unanimous approval, potentially affecting the NIH’s $48 billion budget.

History

Historical Context

August 2001 President George W. Bush limited NIH funding to 21 embryonic stem-cell lines under the 1995 Dickey–Wicker Amendment, which bars money for creating or destroying embryos. Congress passed 2005-2006 bills that Bush vetoed, and Obama lifted cap in 2009. September 23 2026 order to place a board over NIH’s $48 billion budget revives clash, drawing objections from Susan Collins, OMB Director Russell Vought and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya.

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Story summary

The White House dropped the executive order that would have given it control over NIH grant decisions on September 23, 2026.
Senator Susan Collins wrote to OMB Director Russell Vought and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya urging cancellation.
Democratic Appropriations leaders Patty Murray and Rosa DeLauro said the plan would replace peer-review merit with ideology.
The order would have created a board needing unanimous approval, potentially affecting the NIH’s $48 billion budget.

1 / 2