1. United States
2. Maine
3. Letter

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to immediately take action to stop OMB’s attacks on American science and research. As a scientist, I am very concerned the proposed rule will harm to the scientific process and set back scientific progress in our country. The proposed rule, “Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance (OMB-2026-0034-0001), would massively expand political oversight of grants, including research funding, across government agencies. This replaces scientific experts with political appointees as the decision makers of federal research funding decisions, strangling independent science. Scientific freedom is a core tenant of democracy. This proposal is a direct threat to scientific independence and evidence-based decision-making, with far-reaching consequences for research and public health. This dismantling of the scientific process is but one of many such actions taken by the current administration that deprives our government of independent, apolitical oversight and expert advice, not only in the sciences but also in healthcare and technology. I call on Congress, as an equal branch of government, to rapidly and firmly defend independent science from political interference and stop federally funded science from being destroyed. I am asking you to act now to save the integrity of American science and research. Science is one of the areas where America excels, because the current process is apolitical. Don’t break science.