A coalition of more than 50 scientific societies, including NSC Alliance, have sent a letter to Congress, expressing concerns over provisions in the August 7, 2025 Executive Order titled “Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking.” The letter urges Congress to provide necessary oversight at federal science agencies to prevent potentially significant damage to US leadership in scientific and medical research.
The letter calls on Congress to protect the integrity of the independent, merit-based peer-review system, while flagging concerns about expanded “termination for convenience” authority and new reporting requirements that could slow the grantmaking process. It also endorses the order’s aim of broadening access to funding but questions how agencies will define “repeat players.”