In Brief
Take Action: Contact Congress to Support the Maximum Funding Possible for Research
While Biophysics Week may be over, the Society’s calls to action for the National Institute of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and Department of Energy Office of Science still need your support. With the President’s Budget Request (PBR) or at very least the top line, or Skinny Budget, expected to be released on Friday of this week it is imperative that science hold a unified front on our requests for federal funding for agencies.
Letters are available for each agency on our website now. Send a letter to the agency you get the majority of your funding from, or send a letter on all three. Take Action Now!
NIH Funding Flow Resumes After Budget Hold
The National Institutes of Health has regained access to its full fiscal year 2026 budget following approval of spending allocations by the Office of Management and Budget, allowing the agency to resume normal grant-making activities.
The delay had significantly slowed the issuance of new research awards, with most funding in recent months limited to renewals. With apportionments now in place, NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya indicated that new grants will begin rolling out, with an emphasis on distributing funds efficiently to support high-quality research.
The agency is also working to stabilize operations following recent staffing reductions and leadership vacancies. Efforts are underway to fill key positions across NIH’s institutes and centers, while addressing administrative bottlenecks that have affected grant processing.
For the research community, the release of funds marks a critical step toward restoring funding stability. The episode highlights the importance of timely budget execution in sustaining the biomedical research pipeline and ensuring continuity in federally supported science.
Proposed Rule Changes to the Federal System for Award Management (SAM)
On March 30, the Biophysical Society submitted comments pushing back on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) issued by the General Services Administration (GSA) on January 28. The proposed rule would update the federal System for Award Management (SAM) that would significantly expand certification requirements for entities receiving federal financial assistance beyond the scope of what is called necessary to comply with agency rules and regulations and likely falls outside the scope of power of the Administration to impose without Congressional approval.
The notice, issued under the Paperwork Reduction Act, revises the “Financial Assistance General Certifications and Representations” required for SAM registration—a prerequisite for grants, cooperative agreements, loans, and other federal funding. The changes aim to align certifications with recent executive branch guidance, including Department of Justice civil rights guidance and Executive Order 14173.
Entities registering through SAM must maintain compliance with all federal law and regulations, as well as ensure it follows all Executive Orders (EOs) issued by the Administration. Entities registering under SAM must certify that they attest to the following statements: false attestations would be subject to civil and/or criminal penalties. Registered entities will:
- Comply with the U.S. Constitution, all Federal laws, and relevant Executive Orders prohibiting unlawful discrimination on the basis of race or color in the administration of federally funded programs,” including those “labeled as” DEI or DEIA programs;
- Not knowingly bring or attempt to bring to the United States, transport, conceal, harbor, shield, hire, or recruit for a fee an illegal alien; and will not induce an alien to enter or reside in the United States with reckless disregard of the fact that the alien is illegal”; and
- Not fund, subsidize, or facilitate violence, terrorism, or other illegal activities that threaten public safety or national security.
BPS raised significant concerns with registering entities certifying compliance with all EOs is excessively burdensome given the rate of issuance since January 2025 and the lack of specificity contained within. There is typically a lag period between the issuance of an EO and agency interpretation, rule changes or proposed implementation which could put the registered entity out of compliance and subject to prosecution. Furthermore, we questioned GSA’s standing to issue such mandates on a central databank system, meant to streamline data collection, without Congressional approval. Such a mandate goes beyond the intent of Congress. Finally, BPS objected to the language used in the attestation statements as broad, overly vague and lacking definition by which to measure compliance. We will keep you posted on the final outcomes of this rule now that the comment period has closed.
SBIR and STTR Suspension Freezes Small-Business Innovation
As of late March 2026, the five-month suspension of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs is ending following the passage of the “Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act” (S. 3971) by both the Senate and the House. The legislation reauthorizes the programs through September 30, 2031, restoring over $4 billion in frozen funding.
The federal suspension of SBIR and STTR programs has stalled funding for hundreds of science startups, disrupting clinical trials and threatening layoffs. Created in 1982 and 1992, the programs require federal agencies to dedicate a portion of their research budgets to small businesses, helping launch companies such as Qualcomm, Illumina, and 23andMe. But in September 2025, Congress failed to renew the law authorizing the programs amid disputes over reforms aimed at preventing “grant mills” and tightening foreign safeguards. Agencies immediately paused new awards. While awaiting formal presidential signature, the act is expected to take effect in early April 2026, with agencies poised to immediately resume issuing new solicitations.