Spending bill blocks Trump plan to politicize grants

Senate Spending bill blocks Trump plan to politicize grants Comments: by Nathaniel Weixel - 08/03/26 11:05 AM ET Comments: Link copied by Nathaniel Weixel - 08/03/26 11:05 AM ET Comments: Link copied

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A spending bill unveiled Sunday by Senate Republicans would temporarily block the Trump administration’s proposal to give political appointees control over hundreds of billions of dollars in scientific grants.

The provision contained in the continuing resolution marks a rare instance of congressional Republicans standing up to a controversial Trump administration policy.

It emerged from bipartisan discussions in the Senate Appropriations Committee and was reviewed and approved by GOP leadership.

The legislation would fund the government through Dec. 11, so the proposed rule would only be blocked until that time. The administration initially said it planned to make the rule final on Oct. 1.

In a statement, Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she was “pleased” the provision was included.

Collins in July urged the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to withdraw portions of the rule. Her concerns were echoed by GOP Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) as well as many Democratic lawmakers.

“I advocated for significant changes to the proposed rule … citing its potential to politicize grants and harm small, rural communities, families, and biomedical research,” Collins said.

Under the proposal, all discretionary awards from the federal government would have to be reviewed by senior administration officials, who could deny them if they do not fit the president’s agenda. Existing awards could be canceled at any time for no apparent reason and with little recourse.

The rule would ban research on diversity, equity and inclusion, in addition to gender, as grant conditions and would place a broad prohibition on international scientific collaborations.

Administration officials have said they wouldn’t use the rule to blindly slash grants. OMB Director Russell Vought told lawmakers at a recent hearing that the administration wants to be able to “turn off” any research grants that they consider to be “problematic.”

Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.), who worked with Collins on the provision, said she tried to permanently kill the proposal, but Republicans wouldn’t allow it.

“Enabling this rule would only give Trump the greenlight to take even more federal funding hostage,” Murray said in a statement. “While Republicans rejected killing the proposed rule outright, I’m going to keep fighting to put a stop to it once and for all, and I will keep pressing my Republican colleagues to do exactly that.”

The Senate is expected to consider the bill this week before leaving for August recess. The House is already on recess, and its spending bill, which passed two weeks ago, does not contain a similar provision to block the proposal. The chambers will have to reconcile the bills in September.

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