Posted by AAS | June 14, 2026 | AAS Action Alerts

As you have likely heard, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently proposed a list of 120 changes that would transform how the government handles the management of grants and other forms of financial assistance. Among the many changes in this proposed rule, OMB proposes giving political appointees greater control over the grant selection process, expanding the authority of the government to terminate active grants if they do not align with administration priorities, restricting international collaborations, and placing significant restrictions on the use of federal funds to cover conference attendance and publishing costs. If enacted in its current form, this rule would create policies that would cause significant harm to the scientific community, research institutions, and professional societies.

We urge you to take the following two actions to advocate against these proposed changes. 

Submit a Comment on the Proposed Rule

First, please submit an individualized comment on the proposed changes before the public comment period closes on 13 July. You can do so using our template as a starting point or directly on Regulations.gov. If you are not submitting a comment on behalf of your institution, please make it clear that you are responding in a personal capacity. OMB must respond to each unique, substantive comment, so please personalize the template before submitting it. AAS recently submitted a request to extend the comment period by at least 45 days; we will send you an update if this is successful.

Urge Congress to Take Action

Congress can take action against these proposed changes by adding language to the annual appropriations (i.e., funding) bills prohibiting the implementation of the regulation. However, many congressional offices are not yet aware of the severe harms that would be caused by this proposed rule. You can use our tool to easily write to your members of Congress, share your concerns, and encourage them to put language in the Fiscal Year 2027 appropriations bills that would prohibit implementation of the proposed rule.

We strongly encourage you to take the two actions above, and we hope that you also engage in further advocacy to protect the astronomical sciences community. Additional impactful actions that you can take are on our webpage of Suggested Advocacy Actions, and the AAS Policy Team can help you set up and prepare for meetings with your congressional offices locally (in-district) or on Zoom. Please reach out to [email protected] if you would be interested in such meetings.

Finally, applications are now open for the 2026 Congressional Visits Day, organized by AAS and the American Association of Physics Teachers for 14–15 September 2026. Apply by 5 July.

Thank you,

Roohi Dalal
Deputy Director of Public Policy
American Astronomical Society