OMB’s Proposed Rule on Federal Research Funding
Dear Colleagues,
I write to you today about a proposed federal rule that has the potential to impact research universities across the United States.
Late last month, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published a proposed rule that, if finalized as written, would fundamentally change how federally funded research is reviewed, awarded, terminated, and overseen across federal agencies.
The rule, Regulation for Federal Financial Assistance, proposes sweeping changes to current regulations governing federal research policy and administration. Such changes could have far-reaching implications for both higher education and health care institutions and the patients and communities they serve.
Some of the proposed changes include the following:
- Funding proposals must align with federal agency priorities as well as U.S. national interests. Federal agencies could terminate grants at any time if an award is deemed no longer in the U.S. national interest, and the proposed rule removes the ability to appeal such terminations. These changes would create significant uncertainty about what research would remain eligible for federal funding.
- Political appointees would have expanded authority to determine which funding proposals represent the best science. This change would fundamentally undermine the peer-review process that has guided federal research funding for decades. Further, scientific peer review would be deemed merely advisory rather than integral to the process of determining which proposals receive funding.
- Federally funded researchers would face new, substantial restrictions on international collaboration.
- Except when agency approval is granted in advance, researchers would not be permitted to apply federal funding toward conference attendance costs, memberships in professional organizations, or publication costs — including many open-access fees.
The University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) Office of Government Affairs and the Issues Management Advisory Group (IMAG) have been deeply engaged in ongoing efforts to evaluate the potential impacts of the proposed rule on our research community while coordinating a comprehensive Universitywide response. As part of that response, I will submit a comment to OMB on behalf of UMB.
This month, I met with Maryland congressional leaders in Washington, D.C., to discuss how the proposed rule would introduce significant risks to biomedical research, new and ongoing clinical studies, patient care, and workforce stability in the region.
At UMB, our mission to improve the human condition and serve the public good calls on us to advance education, research, clinical care, and service. To do this, we also must engage constructively in the public processes that shape these endeavors.
As individuals, each of us has the power to participate in the public comment period in response to a government agency’s proposed rule or regulation. By law, the agency is required to review and consider all submitted comments. OMB’s proposed rule is open for public comment until 11:59 p.m. ET on July 13, 2026.
If you wish to submit a public comment as an individual, you may do so through the Regulations.gov website by choosing the option to comment as “an individual” or as “anonymous,” not as a representative of UMB.
For your reference, the Association of American Universities, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and the Council on Governmental Relations published a list of immediate considerations for research universities. You also can find tips for submitting effective comments on the UMB Office of Government Affairs website.
I recognize that many UMB faculty, staff, and students are concerned about the potential impact of OMB’s proposed rule. After all, each of us is deeply committed to UMB’s mission and we all benefit from the advancement of science and human health research. That is why, if you feel compelled, I encourage you to submit a public comment in response to the proposed OMB rule ahead of the July 13 deadline.
It is also why I am tremendously grateful to our Office of Government Affairs, the members of IMAG, and the countless UMB faculty and staff members who are working to ensure that the best interests of our University — as well as those of the wider higher education and research communities — are taken into consideration by the federal government.
Across all seven UMB schools, researchers work every day to pursue discoveries that improve lives, inform public policy, and strengthen communities. Through initiatives such as Breakthroughs Can’t Wait, our University continues to highlight the vital role that federally funded research plays in advancing science, improving health outcomes, and serving the public good. I encourage faculty and staff to continue to spread the word about the remarkable work we do here.
I thank you for your continued commitment to advancing research at UMB. If you have any questions about how you can respond to OMB’s proposed rule, I invite you to contact UMB’s Office of Government Affairs team.
Sincerely,
Bruce E. Jarrell, MD, FACS
President
