As the Executive Committee of The Cytokine Society, we urge our members to take action on a proposed federal rule that threatens the future of scientific research in the United States. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has published a sweeping new rule on federal research funding (docket OMB-2026-0034) that is open for public comment until 13 July 2026.
This rule would shift control of research funding away from independent scientific experts and toward political appointees. It also opens the door to abrupt termination of active grants whenever government priorities shift, putting ongoing research at serious risk.
Despite claims of promoting transparency and fiscal responsibility, the rule would do the opposite: it hides how funding decisions are made, allows political retaliation against researchers, and creates instability that will ultimately waste taxpayer dollars and set back American science.
For a century, the United States has led the world in scientific discovery. These rules would damage that standing and weaken America’s influence in global research.
Science depends on the open sharing of knowledge.
Under this rule, basic activities like publishing research, attending conferences, or participating in professional societies could be banned as grant expenses or require government pre-approval, giving politicians direct control over what scientists can communicate and with whom.
Societies like ours exist to advance science and support the next generation of researchers. This rule directly targets those missions, threatening our ability to train future scientists and sustain a skilled research workforce.
As an international society, we are especially alarmed by restrictions on cross-border collaboration. The greatest scientific breakthroughs have come from researchers working across national boundaries. Cutting those ties would isolate American science and slow progress for everyone.
Now is the time to act – submit a public comment by July 13, 2026
OMB is required to review and respond to all substantive, original comments submitted during the public comment period. This makes your input a powerful and effective way to influence the outcome of this rule. We urge all U.S. members to submit a public comment at https://www.regulations.gov/commenton/OMB-2026-0034-0001 before the deadline of 13 July 2026 – and then contact your elected representatives.
Here are a few tips for the most impact:
- Comments do not need to be long or highly technical (comments have a 5,000-character limit)
- Even addressing one or two aspects of the proposed rule is valuable
- OMB requires that you provide clarity as to the section of the regulation that each comment is referencing by beginning each comment with the relevant section number in brackets. For example; if the comment is on 2 CFR 200.414, include the following before the comment [200.414]
- Original, personalized comments are essential. Form letters are discouraged as they may be grouped together and counted as a single submission. Do not use A.I.
Science must remain free from partisan interference, and this is our moment to say so.
Sincerely,
Curt M. Horvath, Ph.D., President
Karen Mossman, Ph.D., President-Elect
Susan Carpenter, Ph.D., Secretary
Elia Tait Wojno, Ph.D., Treasurer
