‘The purpose of the rule is fascism’: scientists fight back against planned Trump research cuts
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- Stand Up for Science founder Colette Delawalla met one-on-one with more than 30 members of Congress over three days on Capitol Hill to oppose the proposed OMB rule, telling the Guardian 'the purpose of the rule is fascism.'
- The Office of Management and Budget rule, proposed by director Russ Vought on May 29, would put all federal research and discretionary grants under political appointee control and prohibit anything that 'promote[s] anti-American values' or fails to 'demonstrably advance the president's policy priorities.'
- The rule would affect roughly $1.5 trillion in federal grants and, per Stand Up for Science's analysis of about 10,000 NIH-funded trials, could discontinue nearly half of them — including over 1,000 cancer-related trials and hundreds each on pediatric care, veterans, suicide, heart disease, and diabetes.
- The public comment deadline is July 13, and nearly 31,000 comments had been left on the OMB's page as of Thursday morning; the group is also exploring legal responses and held a virtual meeting with some 50 attorneys last Friday.
- Delawalla, a 32-year-old Emory University clinical psychologist, told lawmakers the rule would also halt US-China satellite collision-avoidance work, citing 75 near-misses per day between the two countries' satellites — a collaboration she said would become illegal under the rule.
- Elizabeth Ginexi, a 22-year former NIH program official who resigned after DOGE dismissals, called the rule 'a multi-front assault unprecedented in my lifetime' and said Stand Up for Science is 'filling a gap' since most scientists historically avoid political engagement.
- Scientific American this week named Delawalla one of five 'young scientists who are making waves,' citing her for showing young researchers 'how to become participants in democracy.'
Why it matters: The OMB rule would shift $1.5 trillion in federal grants to political appointee control and could discontinue nearly half of NIH-funded clinical trials — including 1,000+ cancer trials. With a July 13 comment deadline, an organized scientist-led lobbying blitz on Capitol Hill is unusually direct for a community that historically avoids politics.
