By Kritika Agarwal
Federal courts recently blocked the Trump administration from pausing the disbursement of federal funds to state governments and organizations, including to scientists and researchers at the nation’s universities who rely on federal grants to conduct critical scientific and medical research on behalf of the American people.
One of the lawsuits that led to the rulings was filed by a group of almost two dozen state attorneys general, and another by the National Council of Nonprofits. The temporary restraining orders issued in the cases prohibit the Trump administration from implementing or reinstating the freeze on federal funds as outlined in the January 27 OMB memo, “Temporary Pause of Agency Grant, Loan, and Other Financial Assistance Programs” (M-25-13), in any form.
Despite the temporary restraining orders, President Trump’s various executive orders directing federal agencies to stop any funding related to diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts; environmental justice programs, services, or activities; “gender ideology;” and foreign aid remain in effect. While federal agencies are no longer applying blanket restrictions on payments, they have begun expansive reviews of their grants and programs to ensure that they are in compliance with the new executive orders.
Below is a summary of the current situation, as of press time for this story, at some of the federal government’s main research-supporting agencies:
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National Science Foundation (NSF): On February 2, the NSF announced that, in response to one of the restraining orders, it had restored its Award Cash Management Service (ACM$) – a system that the agency uses to process grant payments. The agency also noted that, while it is no longer delaying or stopping payments on awards “based solely on actual or potential non-compliance with the Executive Orders,” it has begun a comprehensive review of its current “award portfolio to identify active grants in the context of recent Executive Orders.”
Science reported on February 4 that NSF senior managers have selected 10,000 grants and have “enlisted staff to vet the awards using a list of key words that include ‘diversity,’ ‘inclusion,’ ‘women,’ and race.’” (The Washington Post reported on additional keywords that the agency may be using to vet awards.) Grants are being reviewed by program managers outside their field of expertise to avoid creating conflicts of interest. Science noted that flagged grants will be subject to further scrutiny and that “the winnowing process is expected to yield a small number of projects, perhaps as few as several dozen, on which NSF will need to take further action.” It is unclear at this point how many projects will be affected. The agency may also need to consider previously approved legislation and statutory mandates calling for specific programs aimed at broadening participation of women and underrepresented groups in STEM when making final decisions on grants.
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The National Institutes of Health (NIH): Things remain in flux at the NIH, where some study sections and advisory council meetings to review grant applications, have resumed and others have not. Stat reported that a study section to review “proposals on skeletal biology and regeneration” took place on February 4, but that meetings of three other advisory councils also scheduled for that day were cancelled. NIH later told Stat that the meetings were cancelled in order to ensure that the agency was complying rules related to public notice.
Stat reported that the NIH has “confirmed that closed meetings of advisory councils and scientific review groups have resumed, as well as submissions to the Federal Register, official correspondence to public officials, and travel in support of ‘NIH internal business for oversight and/or conduct of science.’”
However, it appears that the agency has begun cutting off funding for projects in response to the executive orders. As an example, The Washington Post reported on February 4 that the NIH has “demanded a halt to a large-scale study that was examining ways to prevent HIV infections in transgender youth.”
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NASA: As we noted last week, NASA sent a January 23 memo instructing contractors and grantees to immediately “cease and desist all DEIA activities required of their contracts or grants.” According to the memo, “This work may include but is not limited to: DEIA plan requirement, training, reporting, considerations for staffing, or any other direct or indirect contract or grant activity.”
NASA later sent another memo instructing contractors and grant officers to “review all agency programs, contracts, and grants, and terminate any that promote or inculcate gender ideology.” -
USAID: On January 28, USAID sent a memo instructing contractors and implementing partners “to take immediate action to pause implementation of USAID program-funded activities and otherwise refrain from further commitments or expenditures of USAID funding, until further notice.” According to reports, USAID workers continue to be locked out of key systems at the agency despite a waiver to continue emergency humanitarian work. Additionally, many USAID-supported programs (such as the Feed the Future Innovation Labs program aimed at accelerating agricultural research to assist in meeting agricultural challenges both at home and abroad) have been halted.
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities sent a letter on February 6 to House and Senate State and Foreign Operations appropriators requesting urgent support and assistance in addressing the freeze in USAID and State Department-funded grants and programs. The letter noted that the freeze is significantly impeding the ability of public universities to continue programs vital to our national interests and asked the lawmakers to ensure that congressional “intent with appropriations is met by the administration.”
The New York Times provided examples of the types of USAID-funded international research projects that have now come to a half as a result of stop-work orders, including clinical trials to “test the safety and efficacy of six new HIV prevention products;” malaria treatments in children; and treatment for cholera. As the Times noted, ending clinical trials midway can seriously threaten the health and safety of participants and affect the ability of researchers and U.S. pharmaceutical companies to conduct future trials abroad.
A one-page notice on the website of USAID states that “all USAID direct hire personnel will be placed on administrative leave globally, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs” on Friday, February 7, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
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Department of Energy: DOE Acting Secretary Ingrid Kolb issued a memo on January 20 announcing an agency-wide review of program and administrative activities, including the “awarding of grants, loans, [and] funding opportunities,” to ensure they are “consistent with current administration policies and priorities, including budgetary priorities.” The DOE Office of Science also announced that it is “immediately ending the requirement for Promoting Inclusive and Equitable Research (PIER) Plans in any proposal submitted to the Office of Science.”
Kritika Agarwal is senior editorial officer at AAU.