WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Patty Murray are leading bipartisan Senate opposition to the Trump administration's effort to add political review to NIH grantmaking through executive action or White House review. The Trump administration is seeking greater control over the National Institutes of Health grantmaking process, an effort that includes potentially issuing an executive order or White House review of grants to exclude research contrary to President Donald Trump's agenda.

President Donald Trump told White House OMB director, Russell Vought, to draft an executive order to create a board that would determine which grants the NIH would fund. Sen. Collins criticized the plan, stating that the Office of Management and Budget should not be involved in these decisions. Collins said 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.

Collins added that imposing such reviews undermines established scientific standards. Collins said 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. Sen. Patty Murray also criticized the effort for a new executive order or review that could further politicize the process.

Murray said only one question should decide which research gets funded: is this good science that could save lives? Murray said Trump wants to answer a different question: does this help him settle a score?

The Uniform Guidance proposed rule would require political appointees to review discretionary grants to ensure they align with presidential priorities. It would also expand agencies' ability to terminate grants for convenience. Sen. Collins authored a letter to the Office of Management and Budget this summer asking it to walk back a proposed rule. The continuing resolution funding the government through mid-December contains a provision delaying implementation of the Uniform Guidance proposed rule.

Erica Sward warned that the politicization of grantmaking could halt ongoing clinical trials. Sward said medical research for patients isn't a partisan issue and never should be. Sward said they call on Congress, Democrats and Republicans alike, to reject this proposal outright. The Trump administration terminated or froze more than 1,800 research grants last year, particularly targeting grants related to diversity, equity and inclusion. Officials stated that grant money eventually flowed to recipients, but the amount reinstated has been disputed.

The Trump administration proposed slashing the National Institutes of Health budget. It also attempted to cap researchers' overhead costs by installing a forward-funding process requiring all money for a multiyear grant to be supplied in the first year. Lawmakers rejected the idea of a forward-funding process for NIH grants. The Health and Human Services Department published a rule titled "Medicare Program; Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment Systems for Acute Care Hospitals (IPPS) and the Long-Term Care Hospital Prospective Payment System and Policy Changes and Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 Rates; Changes to the FY 2025 IPPS Rates Due to Court Decision; Requirements for Quality Programs; and Other Policy Changes; Health Data, Technology, and Interoperability: Electronic Prescribing, Real-Time Prescription Benefit and Electronic Prior Authorization" on 2025-08-04.