Omb

Congress temporarily blocks OMB rule giving political appointees control over science grants

A stopgap government funding bill passed by the House and expected to be signed by President Trump includes language, inserted by Senators Patty Murray and Susan Collins, that bars the Office of Management and Budget from enacting a rule letting political appointees decide which research grants get funded or canceled. The freeze only lasts until the funding measure expires on December 11, but it passed with overwhelming bipartisan support—90-6 in the Senate and 370-48 in the House.