CDT Submits Comments to OMB on Threats to Independent Research

CDT Submits Comments to OMB on Threats to Independent Research Today, CDT submitted comments opposing the Office of Management and Budget’s proposed overhaul of the rules governing federal financial assistance. The proposal would replace independent scientific judgment with political control, undermining the merit-based research system that has driven American scientific leadership for decades. While framed as an administrative update, the proposal would require agencies to prioritize projects that advance the President’s policy priorities while allowing grants to be terminated whenever those priorities change. Together, these changes would make political conformity, rather than scientific merit, the deciding factor in whether research is funded, completed, or abandoned. Our comments explain that the proposal demands ideological allegiance as the price of eligibility to conduct scientific research, raising serious First Amendment concerns. The Proposed Rule would prohibit federal funding for entire categories of research, including on studies involving disparate impact liability, LGBTQ+ people, and any work the government characterizes as “anti-American.” It would also threaten research on content moderation and AI bias by treating standard empirical methods for studying online platforms and AI systems as suspect or ideological. By allowing political officials to determine which questions may be asked and which conclusions are acceptable, the Proposed Rule would leave researchers, policymakers, and the public with a less reliable body of scientific knowledge. Our comments also urge OMB to strengthen privacy and security protections as it expands Treasury’s Do Not Pay system, warning that centralized government databases require robust safeguards to prevent data breaches, matching errors, and the wrongful denial of critical benefits.