HHS Restructuring Begins with Reduction in Force
On March 27, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced a “dramatic restructuring” of the agency as required by President Trump’s executive order (EO), “Implementing the President’s ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ Workforce Optimization Initiative.” Secretary Robert F. Kennedy …
Trump Issues EO to Shut Down Department of Education
On March 20, President Donald Trump signed the much-anticipated executive order (EO) to dismantle the United States Department of Education (USED). Consistent with many of his previous EOs, the title of the EO suggests a worthy goal, in this case: …
NIH Updating Strategic Plans
Every five years, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) updates its agency-wide strategic plan, which articulates the agency’s priorities for biomedical and behavioral research. The Division of Program Coordination, Planning, and Strategic Initiatives (DPCPSI), within the Office of the Director …
House Science Committee Democrats Seek Moratorium on Mass Firings
Last week, Democratic Leaders on the House Science Committee introduced bills that would initiate a moratorium on reductions in force (RIFs) at five federal science agencies under the committee’s jurisdiction. Ranking Member Zoe Lofgren (D-CA) sponsored each bill, with subcommittee …
NIH Cancels Grants Related to Vaccine Hesitancy and Uptake
On Monday, March 10, news broke that the National Institutes of Health (NIH) intended to terminate or scale back over 40 grants funding research on understanding vaccine hesitancy and promoting vaccine uptake. Both The Washington Post and Science reported that …
NIH Announces Changes to Grant Review Process
On March 6, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced plans to centralize peer review of all applications for grants, research and development contracts, and cooperative agreements within the Center for Scientific Review (CSR). Acting Director Matthew Memoli justified the …
