The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) joined 70 other organizations representing public health, patients, clinicians, and biomedical researchers in urging congressional leaders to take legislative action to protect the integrity of federal biomedical research funding. The coalition called on Congress to block implementation of the proposed Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance and protect grantmaking at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from political interference.
In a November 10 letter, the organizations thanked Congress for including a provision in the continuing resolution (CR) that temporarily blocks the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from implementing the proposed regulation. The CR also maintains federal biomedical research programs through December 11. The coalition urged congressional leaders to use this time to establish a longer-term policy that blocks the regulation and prevents executive orders, regulations, or guidance from placing political appointees in control of NIH grantmaking or binding oversight decisions.
The organizations called on Congress to work with relevant committees to enact legislation permanently prohibiting implementation of the regulation or, at a minimum, blocking it for an extended period.
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