GOP Bill Would Block WH Power Over Science Grants - Joe. My. God.
The Washington Post reports: Senate Republican leaders unveiled a spending bill Sunday that would temporarily block President Donald Trump from implementing a rule change that would give political appointees sweeping power over hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants. The provision was tucked into a bipartisan measure to fund the government through Dec. 11 …
August 3, 2026Congress,RepublicansTheWashington Postreports:Senate Republican leaders unveiled a spending bill Sunday that would temporarily block President Donald Trump from implementing a rule change that would give political appointees sweeping power over hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants. The provision was tucked into a bipartisan measure to fund the government through Dec. 11 that was negotiated by Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-Washington) and reviewed by Senate GOP leaders. It marks another notable rebuke of the president by senators from his own party. In a statement, Collins said she is “pleased” the provision was included in the spending agreement. She also said the White House rule change has the “potential to politicize grants and harm small, rural communities, families, and biomedical research. ”The rule change, released in May by OMB, would give political appointees more power over discretionary grant funding, diminishing a system created after World War II that calls on independent peer reviewers — experts in the field — to determine whether scientific proposals are worthy of federal funding. Read thefull article. Senate Republican leaders unveiled a spending bill that would temporarily block President Trump from implementing a rule change that would give political appointees sweeping power over hundreds of billions of dollars in federal grants. [image or embed]— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost. com)August 3, 2026 at 11:00 AM