Comment on FR Doc # 2026-12725 from erik Dienemann

I am writing to object to Russell Vought's continuing attempts to destroy American science & federally funded research - specifically, his launch last month of OMBs proposed Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance rule for NSF grants. 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 and is unacceptable in a free and fair society, where scientific research and funding are not supposed to be subjected to political litmus tests, like they are in autocratic states, like China and Russia. Erik Dienemann, PhD (Rutgers, 1989), retired senior director at Merck & Co., Inc, where I worked in R&D for 31 years.