Congress opposes White House plan for political appointee commission to review NIH grants
Members of Congress voiced opposition on Friday to a leaked White House plan creating a commission of political appointees to review National Institutes of Health grants.
White House pushes executive order
Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, advocated for an executive order during a meeting at the White House. President Trump reportedly directed Vought to draft this order after NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya refused to cut funding for Harvard researchers. The proposed board would require unanimous decisions on all grants before approval.
Congressional members express strong pushback
Several lawmakers criticized the proposal following news that the administration intended to place political appointees in charge of biomedical research funding. Tensions escalated after reports indicated the White House sought increased control over federal grants previously managed by independent scientists.
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