Government Policy Changes: BPS Actions and Resources

01/14/25 – Call to Action: NIH Travel Ban
01/15/25 – Coalition Letter: AdHoc Coalition Welcome Letter for the 119th Congress 
01/24/25 – Call to Action: NIH Travel Ban  
01/27/25 – BPS President Issues Message to Members 
01/29/25 – BPS in the Beltway | January 29, 2025 
02/10/25 – Call to Action: NIH Issues Cap to Indirect Cost Rates at 15%  
02/17/25 – BPS hosts Emergency Town Hall at Annual Meeting 2025 
02/28/25 – BPS launches Executive Orders and Federal Action webpage 
02/28/25 – BPS in the Beltway | February 28, 2025 
02/28/25 – Coalition Letter: Research America FY25 Appropriations Letter  
02/28/25 – Coalition Letter: CDC Emerging Infectious Diseases Funding Letter  
03/04/25 – Call to Action: Take Action on Executive Orders and Federal Guidance 
03/04/25 – Coalition Letter: ESC FY26 DOE Appropriations Request  
03/05/25 – Coalition Letter: CNSF FY26 NSF Appropriations Request  
03/06/25 – Call to Action:  Share Your Story with BPS - NIH Indirect Cost Rate Caps  
03/10/25 – Coalition Letter: ESC Response to RFI on Development of AI Action Plan  
03/14/25 – Call to Action: Share Your Story with BPS - NIH Indirect Cost Rate Caps  
03/15/25 – Coalition Letter: Impact and Safety of Vaccines 
03/18/25 – Call to Action: Biophysics Week Promotion 
03/21/25 – Call to Action: Last Chance to Register for The Art of Science Storytelling 
03/21/25 – BPS President Message to Members: BPS is Here for You 
03/25/25 – Call to Action: Stop the Cap on NIH Indirect Cost Rates  
03/26/25 – BPS Webinar on The Art of Science Storytelling 
03/26/25 – Call to Action: Share Your Story with BPS - NIH Indirect Cost Rate Caps 
03/27/25 – Call to Action: NIH Issues Cap to Indirect Cost Rates at 15% 
03/28/25 – Call to Action: Agency Travel Suspension Leaves Researchers in Limbo 
03/28/25 – BPS in the Beltway | March 28, 2025 
04/07/25 – Coalition Letter: AdHoc Coalition FY26 NIH Appropriations Request 
04/07/25 – Coalition Letter: AdHoc Coalition FY26 NIH Q&A Document  
04/10/24 – BPS Agrees to support APS amicus brief on Reduction in Force court denied standing 
04/16/25 – ESC Supported Senate Letter to DOE Secretary Wright 
04/21/25 – CHF Letter HHS FY26 Budget Proposal HAC+SAC+LHHS+Leaders UPDATED  
04/21/25 – BPS Agrees to support APS amicus brief on Student Visa Holders Deportation action halted by Administration    
04/22/25 – Coalition Letter: CHF HHS FY26 Budget Proposal to HAC+SAC+LHHS+Leaders  
04/24/25 – Coalition Letter: ESC Coalition DOE F&A Caps 
04/29/25 – BPS in the Beltway | April 29, 2025 
04/30/24 – Coalition Letter: EPA Science and Technology Funding House 
04/30/24 – Coalition Letter: EPA Science and Technology Funding Senate 
05/02/25 – Coalition Letter: American Psychological Association Letter on Reduction in Force  
05/02/25 – Coalition Statement: Ad Hoc Statement on President’s FY 2026 Budget Proposal 
05/05/25 – Call to Action: DOE F&A Cost Cap 
05/08/25 – Coalition Letter: Reduction in Force Request for Transparency Letter FINAL  
05/09/25 – Coalition Letter: Ad Hoc Group Director Bhattacharya Invite pending 
05/19/25 – Coalition Letter: ESC FY 2026 Skinny Budget Response  
05/23/25 – BPS Council Approves Expansion of Bridging Funds Program 
05/30/25 – Coalition Letter: Letter Regarding NSF from Scientific Organizations 
05/30/25 – BPS in the Beltway | May 30, 2025 
06/03/25 – Coalition Statement: CNSF Statement on FY26 Budget 
06/03/25 – Coalition Letter: Protecting Non-Profit 501(c) Tax Status 
06/04/25 – BPS President’s Message on McClintock Letters Campaign 
06/09/25 – Bethesda Declaration Released from current and former NIH employees
06/09/25 – Call to Action: Support NIH and Add your name to the Bethesda Declaration
06/10/25 – BPS Agrees to Support ResearchAmerica Public Advocacy Campaign on Science

January 20-21 – 300+ Executive Orders (EOs) issued 
January 21 – HHS pauses all communications until February 1 
February 3 – DEI lawsuit filed, no action yet 
February 5 – US Attorney General issues 2 memoranda on EO implementation  
January 27 – OMB order M-25-13 outlining grant freeze 
January 28 – DC Court issues temporary injunction on freeze until February 3 
January 29 – OMB order M-25-14 rescinding M-25-13  
January 29 – White House states freeze remains in effect 
January 31 – Rhode Island court blocks freeze 
February 2 – NIH Travel freeze remains in-place 
February 3 – DC court blocks freeze 
February 7 – NIH Guidance Indirect Grant Costs Cap of 15% effective Feb. 10 
February 10 – DC court clarifies scope of injunction, orders release of funds 
February 10 – Massachusetts court block cuts to NIH F&A cuts until Feb. 21 
February 17-18 – First round of probationary staff cuts; incl. 168 NSF and 1,200 NIH staff 
February 21 – Maryland court issues injunction on two DEI EOs impacting higher education 
February 21 – Massachusetts court extends injunction to NIH F&A cuts 
February 27 – California court orders OPM to rescind order to fire probationary employees 
March 3 – NIH announces some key grant-review meetings will resume later this month 
March 3 – NSF reinstates 84 of 86 probationary employees 
March 8 – NIH announces staff cuts of 3,400 to 5,000 to meet Reduction in Force (RIF)  
March 12 – NIH rehires 250 scientists, lab techs & admins; incl. 15 tenure-track researchers  
March 13 – California court orders Department of Energy to rehire fired probationary staff 
March 13 – Maryland court orders rehiring of NIH, NOAA and NIST probationary staff 
March 14 – Congress agrees to CR for remainder of FY25 (through September 31)  
April 11 – Department of Energy announces 15% cap on Indirect Costs 
April 23 – White House proposes Schedule F rule to add new political appointees to agencies 
April 30 – National Science Foundation announces indefinite halt to new funding 
May 2 – National Science Foundation announces 15% cap on Indirect Costs 
May 2 – White House releases ‘Skinny Budget’ with proposed cuts to all science funding mechanisms 
May 5 – Massachusetts court issues injunction to NSF F&A cuts
May 15 – Massachusetts court issues injunction to DOE F&A cuts