In a strongly worded and comprehensive letter to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), ASGE, along with the other GI medical societies, urged for withdrawal of a proposed rule that would make sweeping changes to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance.
The groups warned OMB’s proposed requirements, if finalized, could delay research funding, upend international research collaborations, create funding uncertainty and harm the U.S. research enterprise.
The GI societies also opposed proposals to restrict the use of indirect research funds for journal subscriptions and publishing costs.
The OMB received nearly a half million comments on its proposed rule, and members of Congress are weighing in.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, called for the comment period to be extended for at least 90 days and said the new rules could “harm small and rural communities, undermine scientific and biomedical research, and conflict with Congress’ control over the federal funding process.”
Senate Democrats also sent a letter urging OMB Director Russ Vought to rescind the proposal, saying it exceeds OMB’s authority and would “turn federal grants into a new cudgel for the President to unilaterally advance his partisan agenda and punish political rivals.”
ASGE members can make their voices heard on this important issue by contacting their members of Congress through the ASGE Action Center and asking them to protect medical research by blocking implementation of the OMB rule.