● Covered by 1 source · 1 reportLow impact1 neutral
US House Passes Spending Bill Blocking Political Control Over Science Grants
Key points
- House passed stopgap funding bill through early December.
- Bill includes provision blocking OMB from controlling science grants.
- Proposed OMB rules would allow political appointees to cancel grants.
- Measure passed with bipartisan support in both Senate and House.
Government Funding Extended
The US House of Representatives approved a stopgap measure to fund the government until early December. This action is expected to be signed by President Trump, averting a government shutdown before the midterm elections. The House adopted a version of the spending bill previously passed by the Senate, as internal dissent prevented Republicans from agreeing on their own measure.
Protection for Science Grants
A key provision within the Senate's budget bill, now adopted by the House, prevents the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from implementing new rules. These rules would have granted political appointees full control over federal science funding decisions and the ability to cancel grants at any time. The scientific community and health organizations had widely condemned these proposed changes.
Legislative Opposition to OMB Rules
Senators Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) were instrumental in inserting the language that blocks the OMB's proposed rules until December 11. The strong bipartisan support for the spending bill—90-6 in the Senate and 370-48 in the House—suggests a legislative disinterest in granting the OMB extensive control over federal spending. This broad support indicates that similar protective language could be included in future budget agreements without significant opposition.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
The US House of Representatives passed a stopgap spending measure that includes a provision preventing the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from implementing new rules giving political appointees control over federal science grants. This temporary block, effective until December 11, offers a reprieve for the scientific community which widely opposed the proposed OMB rules.