Comment on FR Doc # 2026-12725 from Joanna Gallant
AnonymousOpposeIndividual
Summary: The commenter opposes the NSF's proposal to align grantmaking rules with OMB regulations, arguing that it constitutes a gross overreach of authority. They claim the proposal threatens scientific independence, academic freedom, and evidence-based decision-making by imposing sweeping regulatory controls on higher education institutions.
NSF's proposal aims to align its grantmaking rules with OMB's Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, conforming to requirements like all grants needing approval by political appointees, bans on international collaborations, and restricting communications and publishing.
The NSF proposal creates additional institutional requirements, imposes significant economic impacts on grantees, and implements sweeping regulatory control over institutes of higher education via information collection. This attempt to regulate speech and academic freedom at independent universities is a gross overreach of NSF's authority.
This is another direct threat to scientific independence, public health, and evidence-based decision-making.