By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/key-senators-reject-white-house-proposal-on-nih-grants Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Key senators reject White House proposal on NIH grants Politics Sep 21, 2026 2:22 PM EDT Sens. Susan Collins and Patty Murray are rejecting efforts by the Trump administration to give the White House control of National Institutes of Health grant funding. Collins, a Republican, is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Murray is the panel's ranking Democratic member. READ MORE: Trump administration has cut or frozen $177 billion in grants across every state, analysis shows Any attempt to "politicize grantmaking" at NIH, whether through an executive order or guidance is "contrary to congressional intent," Collins said in a press release. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. A report in Politico said Trump has directed his budget director, Russ Vought, to create a board that would decide which grants NIH would fund. Murray said that under the administration's effort, a single political appointee could kill a cancer study for no scientific reason. "Whether lifesaving medical research gets funded or not should be determined by experts at the NIH—not a panel of lackeys chosen by Donald Trump and Russ Vought," Murray said. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
Sens. Susan Collins and Patty Murray are rejecting efforts by the Trump administration to give the White House control of National Institutes of Health grant funding. Collins, a Republican, is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. Murray is the panel's ranking Democratic member. READ MORE: Trump administration has cut or frozen $177 billion in grants across every state, analysis shows Any attempt to "politicize grantmaking" at NIH, whether through an executive order or guidance is "contrary to congressional intent," Collins said in a press release. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. A report in Politico said Trump has directed his budget director, Russ Vought, to create a board that would decide which grants NIH would fund. Murray said that under the administration's effort, a single political appointee could kill a cancer study for no scientific reason. "Whether lifesaving medical research gets funded or not should be determined by experts at the NIH—not a panel of lackeys chosen by Donald Trump and Russ Vought," Murray said. A free press is a cornerstone of a healthy democracy. Support trusted journalism and civil dialogue. Donate now