In Brief
Take Action: Contact Congress in Support of Scientific Research
With the attacks on science since January, it is imperative for researchers to communicate with their Members of Congress, regardless of party affiliation, to fight for science. As biophysicists you understand the value and need for investment into basic and biomedical research. The U.S. cannot continue to lead in science research and development without appropriate levels of funding for all science research agencies. Send a letter now!
NSF Faces Ouster from Headquarters
On Tuesday, June 24, National Science Foundation (NSF) staff were abruptly informed of their impending ouster from their headquarters in Alexandria, VA to make way for Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While NSF leadership has vowed the agency will maintain its headquarters in the DC Metro area – preferably remaining in Northern Virginia, there currently is no clear plan for where NSF's more than 1,800 employees will go. The General Services Administration (GSA) cited the need to vacate aging federal buildings like HUD's current site, which has over $500 million in deferred maintenance. The sudden announcement drew criticism from both NSF's employee union and Democratic members of Congress. The union stated there was no consultation, planning, or funding for NSF's relocation. Critics view the decision as part of a broader pattern of hostility towards science, which has included grant cancellations, staff firings, and proposed budget cuts under the current administration.
Judge Orders NIH to Restore Terminated Grants
A federal judge has ruled that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) acted illegally when it terminated hundreds of research grants earlier this year. In response to the ruling, NIH will reinstate about 900 of the roughly 2,400 research grants that were previously terminated under the Trump Administration's Executive Orders banning federal funding for topics like diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), racial health disparities, and transgender health. NIH has also paused new terminations and instructed staff to resume payments for the reinstated awards. More guidance is expected as the agency works to comply with the court's order.
NSF Announces 500 Additional GRFP Awards, Excludes Life Sciences
The National Science Foundation (NSF) announced that an additional 500 Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) awards were given this year, bringing the total awards to approximately 1,500 for the 2025-2026 cohort. The total is still down from the more than 2,000 awards that were typically offered in recent years. However, this news comes with a startling shift in priority; according to an analysis conducted by two former GRFP directors, none of the 500 newly named fellows--selected from a pool of 3,000 honorable mentions--hail from the life sciences, a field that typically claims 20% of awards. The analysis notes that fields like computer science, artificial intelligence and physics saw higher than usual success rates. Critics have expressed concern that the shift aligns with political priorities rather than scientific merit and could undermine the diversity and balance of the future STEM workforce.
White House Targets Science in Push to Freeze Agency Spending
The Trump Administration is moving to freeze over $30 billion in federal spending, including major cuts to science agencies such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The freeze affects NSF research and education programs funded with leftover 2024 appropriations, as well as more than $100 million in science spending at NASA--much of it tied to climate research.
This is part of a broader White House strategy, led by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought, to test the limits of presidential control over the federal budget. The plan involves ordering agencies to freeze spending and then submitting a "deferrals" package to Congress--a legal mechanism to delay the use of appropriated funds. If lawmakers do not act in time, the deferred funds could be permanently rescinded through a follow-up proposal.
Opponents of this shift in power say the effort circumvents the Constitution and the Impoundment Control Act, which restricts executive power over federal spending. The Administration may also use "pocket rescissions"--running out the clock near the fiscal year's end--to eliminate funds without congressional approval. Legal experts warn the move could spark a constitutional crisis over separation of powers and may ultimately reach the Supreme Court. The freeze could severely disrupt research and marks a broader attempt to shift control of science funding from Congress to the executive branch.