July 13, 2026
Re: Office of Management and Budget’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance (OMB-2026-0034)
The National Center for Health Research (NCHR) appreciates the opportunity to comment on the Office of Management and Budget’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance (OMB-2026-0034). NCHR is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that reviews health policies and regulations to ensure they are consistent with scientific evidence and improving the health of adults and children in the U.S. For more than 27 years, our experts have studied how federal laws and policies affect patients, consumers, and communities across the U.S. We regularly submit comments to federal agencies, testify at advisory meetings, and provide clear, evidence-based analysis to improve patient safety and health outcomes.
NCHR opposes this proposed rule because it would fundamentally harm our country’s research accomplishments and reputation, including but not limited to research funded by agencies of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. For patients, researchers, public health professionals, and the communities served by federal programs, the implications are profound.
Although the current system of peer-reviewed federally funded research is not without bias, this proposal would explicitly send the message that political ideology is more important than scientific merit, peer review, public health need, and objective evaluation. Under the proposed rule, federal agencies and political appointees would have broad authority to approve, deny, or terminate grants based on shifting agency priorities, ideologically defined “national interest,” or concerns about an applicant’s affiliations or policy positions. This is more dangerous than ever, because many political appointees do not have the scientific expertise needed to appropriately judge the importance or implications of grant proposals. This would continue the chaos that has resulted in academia and research institutes when non-scientific criteria are used to fund or defund multi-year grants. The proposed changes would harm the research accomplishments and stability of academic medical centers, public health departments, schools, community organizations, and state and local governments.
Such uncertainty and potential chaos threaten ongoing research, patient services, public health surveillance, and community-based programs that patients and families depend on. Additionally, the rule would undermine the credibility of research results by raising serious concerns about political interference in evidence-based medicine, public health research, and healthcare delivery.
NCHR strongly urges OMB to withdraw this proposed rule. Decisions about federal research and public health funding must be guided by science, expertise, congressional intent, and the needs of patients and communities, not the opinions of political appointees who may not fully understand the research proposals they would have the power to fund, reject, or defund.
Respectfully submitted,
National Center for Health Research
Washington, D.C.