Science Policy This Week: June 22, 2026

FYI

Newsletter

THE WEEK OF JUNE 22, 2026

What’s Ahead

A photograph of some of the equipment that is part of the Ocean Observatory Initiative. — The Irminger Sea Array, part of NSF’s Ocean Observatories Initiative.

Sheri N. White, WHOI

NSF reverses course on ocean observatory shutdown

The National Science Foundation has halted plans to dismantle the Ocean Observatories Initiative, reversing a decision that sparked swift criticism from scientists, lawmakers, and climate advocates.

In a statement released June 18, NSF announced that it would stop further removal of equipment from the ocean-monitoring network and continue operating the remaining arrays. The Endurance Array, which was already removed from the water, will be redeployed after servicing, NSF said. Moving forward, the agency will issue a Dear Colleague letter to collect input from stakeholders, as well as convene an expert panel to help determine a long-term plan for NSF’s ocean observing systems.

The reversal comes just a few weeks after reports emerged that the Trump administration planned to dismantle significant portions of the $386 million observing system, which consists of hundreds of instruments deployed across multiple sites in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The OOI was launched in 2016 with a projected 30-year lifespan and was renewed under a five-year operating agreement in 2023. The system provides real-time data on ocean temperatures, marine ecosystems, weather patterns, ocean acidification, and climate change.

The proposed shutdown drew swift opposition from members of Congress. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), the top Democrat on the House Science Committee, issued a statement last week welcoming reports that NSF would stop dismantling OOI, arguing that the original decision was “illegal” and lacked scientific justification. Lofgren noted, however, that we “don’t yet know how much damage they have already done.”

In the Senate, Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) led the bipartisan passage of the Saving the OOI Act to preserve the monitoring system on June 17. The senators emphasized the system’s importance in fisheries management, weather forecasting and maritime safety.

While NSF has paused its dismantling efforts, questions remain about the program’s future amid broader funding debates. NSF’s fiscal year 2027 budget request proposed reducing OOI’s $39 million annual budget to $8 million, a nearly 80% cut.

White House to limit stays of international students

Last week, the White House Office of Management and Budget concluded its review of the proposed rule ending duration of status, which would limit the allowed period of stay for international students to four years. The final version of the rule, which could be published imminently, may contain changes from the notice of proposed rulemaking published last August.

Currently, the allowed period of stay for students on F-1 visas and visitors on J-1 visas usually defaults to the academic or research program end date. Under the proposed rule, for programs longer than four years, the visa holder would need to apply to the Department of Homeland Security for an extension of stay. This includes cases where students want to use the Optional Practical Training extension, which permits them to gain job experience directly related to their major area of study for up to three years. The American Physical Society commented on the proposed rule in September, saying it would make competitor nations “far more appealing, which would jeopardize the U.S. technology engine.” (APS is an AIP Member Society.)

OMB nominee defends grantmaking proposed rule

Hal Duncan, the nominee for deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, commented on OMB’s sweeping proposed rule on federal grantmaking in congressional hearings last week. Duncan described the rule as “getting our arms around the grant enterprise” and “ensuring we have accountability.” He expressed support for the proposals to mandate use of the Treasury Department’s Do Not Pay system to verify grant recipient eligibility and to end any grant funds advancing “divisive DEI ideologies, woke gender ideologies, [or] illegal immigration.” In one hearing, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) argued that previous presidents Biden and Obama did “the exact same thing” in apportioning grant money to the president’s priorities.

In another hearing, Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) asked Duncan what limits would be placed on cronyism if the rule goes into effect. Duncan responded that OMB would follow the law. Murray added, “The way I read it, the reality is that a political appointee like you could terminate a cancer research grant or a hospital grant solely because of the president’s whim or personal vendetta. And to me, that is really unacceptable. We all know how this administration would abuse this. I really hope all of our colleagues will join us to stop this—and they should remember what goes around comes around.”

Also on our radar

OMB’s proposed rule on federal grantmaking has received more than 37,000 comments, over 27,000 of which can now be read online . The comment period is set to close on July 13.
GAO is recommending that NASA assess and mitigate the possibility of a gap in human presence in low Earth orbit following the retirement of the International Space Station.
The National Academies issued a report that praises NASA’s small business research programs.
The Senate Armed Services Committee released the detailed report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act funding bill.
Democratic lawmakers asked DOD to share more detail on its Golden Dome plans after CBO estimated that the program could cost $1.2 trillion over 20 years.
NIST workers officially sealed “America’s Time Capsule” earlier this month in recognition of the U.S. semiquincentennial. The time capsule will be opened in 2276.

Monday, June 22

Harvard Belfer Center: Shadow of catastrophe and the future of nuclear deterrence
12:00 - 1:30 pm

Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Climate change: New data, new debate
3:30 - 4:15 pm

Tuesday, June 23

DOD: Science, Technology, and Innovation Board closed meeting (continues through Thursday)

Senate: Nomination hearing for Kaveh Farzad to be assistant secretary of energy for international affairs and other nominations
9:30 am, Energy and Natural Resources Committee

CNAS: Achieving US strategic priorities in quantum networking
11:00 am - 12:00 pm

Wednesday, June 24

National Academics: Reimagining the US research enterprise
9:00 am - 4:00 pm

EESI: Congressional Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency EXPO and Policy Forum
10:00 am - 7:00 pm

Cato: Nuclear proliferation in US grand strategy
10:00 am - 2:05 pm

House: Full committee markup of DOD FY27 appropriations bill
11:00 am, Appropriations Committee

Thursday, June 25

Hudson: US export control policy with Sen. Jim Banks (R-IN) and Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL)
8:30 - 9:30 am

Senate: Full committee markup of Commerce-Justice-Science and other appropriations bills
10:00 am, Appropriations Committee

SpaceNews: How could sensors protect the United States?
1:00 - 1:45 pm

Friday, June 26

No events.

Monday, June 29

No events.

Opportunities

Deadlines indicated in parentheses. Newly added opportunities are marked with a diamond.

Job Openings

◆Fusion Industry Association: Fall intern (ongoing)
National Academies: Senior program officer, Science and Technology Policy and Law (ongoing)
ACS: Congressional fellowship (ongoing)
APLU: Assistant vice president for governmental affairs (ongoing)
AIP: Director of science policy news (ongoing)
◆NSF: Senior grants policy specialist (June 23)
◆NASA: Director, Marshall Space Flight Center (June 24)
◆NASA: Legislative affairs specialist (June 25)
◆Navy: Science advisor, Office of Naval Research (June 25)
◆DOE: Materials science director, Basic Energy Sciences (June 29)
◆DOE: Program manager, ASCR Computational Science Research and Partnerships (June 29)
◆NSF: Program operations analyst (June 29)
AAAS: Senior editor (July 3)
◆DOE: Site office manager, SLAC National Accelerator Lab (July 6)

Solicitations

SciLight: Call for science policy ideas for ‘The Science Fix’ project (ongoing)
NIST: Call for letters of interest to join NIST AI Consortium (ongoing)
APS: Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach nominations (June 26)
NSF: RFC on Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) program (June 27)
AAS: Nominations for 2027 AAS prizes (June 30)
NASA: RFC on addressing DEI discrimination by federal contractors (July 6)
NASA: RFC on NASA Front Door (July 6)
OMB: RFC on regulation for federal financial assistance (July 13)
NSF: RFC for the Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation Program (July 17)
NOAA: Call for nominations for the Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (July 17)
NIH: RFI on capping the number of simultaneous research project grants per principal investigator (Aug. 3)

Know of an opportunity for scientists to engage in science policy? Email us at fyi@aip.org.

Do you have a story to tell about how science policy is impacting you?

AIP’s research team is gathering first-hand accounts from scientists, engineers, students, and staff whose careers have been affected by policy and funding changes over the past year. Volunteers can submit their stories via this online form. Participants’ stories will be added to the Niels Bohr Library & Archives digital repository as searchable, citable records — with options for anonymity and a five-year embargo period. Read more about the initiative here.

Around the Web

News and views currently in circulation. Links do not imply endorsement.

NSF reverses course on ocean observatory shutdown

White House to limit stays of international students

OMB nominee defends grantmaking proposed rule

Also on our radar

Monday, June 22

Tuesday, June 23

Wednesday, June 24

Thursday, June 25

Friday, June 26

Monday, June 29

Job Openings

Solicitations

Do you have a story to tell about how science policy is impacting you?

White House

Congress

Science, Society, and the Economy

Education and Workforce

Research Management

Labs and Facilities

Computing and Communications

Space

Weather, Climate, and Environment

Energy

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International Affairs