Cardiovascular Societies Ask OMB to Withdraw Proposal Affecting Research Grants

ASNC joined the American College of Cardiology and other cardiovascular societies in sending a letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requesting withdrawal of a proposed rule that would make sweeping changes to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.

The groups warned that OMB’s proposed requirements, if finalized, would compromise scientific integrity and risk politicizing scientific decision-making and public health investments in ways that could weaken the longstanding merit-based framework that governs federal research funding.

The societies expressly opposed allowing political and administrative personnel to override expert peer review of discretionary awards and terminate awards “for convenience” or based on an administration’s changing priorities.

The letter also raised concerns with OMB’s proposed restrictions on international collaboration and limitations on allowable costs for subscriptions and recovery of article-processing charges. Such restrictions would create significant barriers to publishing federally funded research and the dissemination of scientific knowledge.

The OMB has received nearly a half-million comments on its proposed rule, and members of Congress are weighing in.

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called for the comment period to be extended for at least 90 days and said the new rules could “harm small and rural communities, undermine scientific and biomedical research, and conflict with Congress’ control over the federal funding process.”

Senate Democrats also sent a letter urging OMB Director Russell Vought to rescind the proposal, saying it exceeds the OMB’s authority and would “turn federal grants into a new cudgel for the President to unilaterally advance his partisan agenda and punish political rivals.”

View Letter