Science Policy This Week: July 6, 2026

What’s Ahead

Susan Collins June 2026 Appropriations — Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) at a hearing in June.

Francis Chung / POLITICO

Republican budget chair criticizes grantmaking reforms

Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) called on the Office of Management and Budget to remove several key provisions from its proposed grantmaking reforms and extend the comment period, which ends next Monday, by 90 days. In a letter to OMB Director Russell Vought, Collins said she supported OMB’s goal of improving “transparency, accountability, and oversight” for federal awards, but that “the rule would impose new, burdensome requirements on award recipients that would harm small and rural communities, undermine scientific and biomedical research, and conflict with Congress’ control over the federal funding process.”

Collins, who wields considerable influence over the federal budget process, requested that OMB remove the “pre-issuance” review that would allow political appointees the final say on grants. She also called for the removal of provisions that would allow mid-award terminations, remove the ability to appeal termination decisions, and require written justifications for all payment requests.

Democratic senators, led by Patty Murray (D-WA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR), also wrote a letter to Vought last week calling for the immediate repeal of the proposed rule. They argued that the rule “exceeds OMB’s authority” and will “make it harder for grant recipients to apply for and manage federal funds.”

Supreme Court allows president to fire independent agency leaders without cause

The Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter last week eliminates job protections for commissioners at independent executive agencies such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Communications Commission. The court determined that language in a federal law that prevented the president from removing members of the Federal Trade Commission except for “inefficiency, neglect of duty, or malfeasance in office” was unconstitutional because it infringed on the president’s authority over the executive branch. As a result, similar protections for other independent agencies “appear to be on precarious legal footing,” according to the Congressional Research Service.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Neil Gorsuch suggested that the Supreme Court should look to curtail the power of agencies in future decisions, as Congress has endowed agencies “with enormous legislative and judicial powers.” Gorsuch wrote, “From here, the only sure path is to finish the journey we start today and restore legislative and judicial powers to where they belong: in Congress and the courts.”

Congress leaves for recess as budget deadline looms

The House and Senate are out this week for their Fourth of July recess, which will conclude on July 13. Both chambers have urgent business facing them when they return, notably the budget for fiscal year 2027 and this year’s National Defense Authorization Act.

Regarding the budget, Congress has until the fiscal year ends on Sept. 30 to pass legislation funding the government without triggering a shutdown, and both chambers are scheduled to go on recess again in August. The House Appropriations Committee has advanced all 12 of its spending bills, and the full chamber has passed two of them. The Senate Appropriations Committee has yet to advance any of its bills after postponing several planned markup sessions. Reports indicate that disagreements between the committee’s leaders and the hospitalization of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) have slowed progress.

The NDAA, a wide-ranging bill that covers the armed forces but also often includes other legislation, has become stalled in the House as Republican leadership has sought to attach legislation restricting voting access. The House left for recess early after a vote on the bill failed last week.

Also on our radar

OMB and the Merit Systems Protection Board are proposing rule changes that would make it easier for agencies to fire or demote federal workers for performance issues. Comments on the proposed rule are open until Aug. 3.
DOE has again postponed the effective date of three rules that would rescind longstanding nondiscrimination regulations impacting institutions that receive federal funding from the agency. The rules have received significant public pushback. DOE said it was delaying the implementation of the rules until Dec. 28 pending action by the DOJ. A final rule updating nondiscrimination policies at NASA went into effect on Monday.
An NRC draft proposed rule on radiation safety would maintain use of the linear no-threshold model but replace references to the “as low as reasonably achievable” (ALARA) implementation standard with “a less-subjective, graded approach.”
Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and over 20 other Senate Democrats sent a letter to the EPA demanding the agency reinstate employees who were fired after signing a “Declaration of Dissent” last July.
The Department of Government Efficiency, which led many of the Trump administration’s efforts to cut spending and reduce the federal workforce over the past year, shut down on July 4 after the order creating it expired.
Nature published a series of articles about trust in science, including discussions on scientific integrity, public engagement, and connecting with policymakers.
Former Purdue University Dean of Engineering Arvind Raman was sworn in as the head of NIST last week.
Evolutionary biologist Neil Shubin and former NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli took office last week as the new presidents of the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine, respectively.

Monday, July 6

National Academies: Committee on Radio Frequencies meeting
12:00 - 1:00 pm

National Academies: Assessment of technical and scientific capabilities at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, meeting three
1:00 - 2:30 pm

Tuesday, July 7

National Academies: Water Science and Technology Board meeting
1:00 - 5:00 pm

Wednesday, July 8

Carnegie Endowment: New Voices Conference on nuclear policy
9:00 am - 5:00 pm

AEI: Signals and strategy: A conversation with FCC bureau and executive leadership
9:00 - 11:00 am

Hudson Institute: America’s competitive edge: Why antitrust, standards, and intellectual property matter
12:00 - 1:30 pm

Thursday, July 9

Brookings: Manufacturing during a time of megachange
10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Friday, July 10

No events.

Monday, July 13

National Academies: Committee on Enhancing the Reach and Contributions of Informal STEM Learning meeting (continues Tuesday)

NDIA: July 2026 Quarterly International Division Meeting
11:00 am - 12:30 pm

National Academies: Federal Facilities Council meeting
12:00 - 3:00 pm

Opportunities

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

Job Openings

◆AIP: Director of social science research (ongoing)
FIA: Fall intern (ongoing)
ACS: Congressional fellowship (ongoing)
AIP: Director of science policy news (ongoing)
ONR: Superintendent, Space Science Division (July 8)
OMB: Program analyst, artificial intelligence (July 10)
◆NOAA: Chief financial officer (July 13)
◆DOE: Deputy assistant secretary for operations, Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation (July 15)
◆DOE: Chief research officer, Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (July 15)
◆NIST: Quantum communications program director (July 20)
◆DOE: Director, materials science and engineering (July 20)
◆NASA: Director, Planetary Science Division (July 30)

Solicitations

Physics Today: Reader information survey (ongoing)
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)
NASA: RFI on astronaut candidate selection qualifications (July 30)
NIH: RFI on capping the number of simultaneous research project grants per principal investigator (Aug. 3)
◆FAR Council: RFI on “Revolutionary Federal Acquisition Regulation Overhaul Parts 1, 2, 4, 33, 40, and 53” (Aug. 24)
◆NSF: RFC on NSF Guidance on Financial Assistance (Aug. 24)

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.

Republican budget chair criticizes grantmaking reforms

Supreme Court allows president to fire independent agency leaders without cause

Congress leaves for recess as budget deadline looms

Also on our radar

Monday, July 6

Tuesday, July 7

Wednesday, July 8

Thursday, July 9

Friday, July 10

Monday, July 13

Job Openings

Solicitations

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

White House

Science, Society, and the Economy

Research Management

Labs and Facilities

Computing and Communications

Space

Weather, Climate, and Environment

Energy

Defense

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International Affairs