Know the Issues: Make Your Voice Heard
07/21/2026: OMB PROPOSAL FACES MOUNTING OPPOSITION AS STUDENT VISA, FOREIGN COLLABORATION, AND FUNDING DELAY CONCERNS GROW.
A proposed rule by the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) places American science funding under the most significant threat in decades. It would allow political appointees to terminate active grants, override peer review, and impose restrictions on international collaboration, publications, and conference attendance. These actions will have direct consequences for psychological science, its researchers, and the next generation of scientists. The public comment period ended on July 13. Read APS’s comment, and see our detailed guide and brief overview of the proposal’s provisions. Opposition has continued to build:
- Senator Collins and Senate Democrats called on OMB Director Vought to withdraw parts of the proposal.
- A judge, ruling on a 20-state lawsuit, found OMB cannot terminate grants after award based on new administrative priorities.
The OMB rule compounds ongoing threats to NSF funding and leadership. The FY 2027 budget proposes eliminating the SBE Directorate entirely. The National Science Board has been dismissed, and NSF has no confirmed Director (see the full summary). NSF also issued a notice restricting foreign collaboration with entities on the U.S. restricted parties list; if adopted, it will take effect October 1, 2026.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security published a new rule capping U.S. student visa at 4 years.
In addition, funding operations at NIH and NSF continue to face significant delays. The 2025 Reductions in Force and subsequent staffing shortages at both agencies have created unprecedented delays in grant funding, with cascading effects on the scientific enterprise and its workforce.
- See recent reporting from Nature on NIH grant delays.
- House members sent a letter to HHS Secretary Kennedy questioning these delays. To our knowledge, this letter has gone unanswered.
Your voice matters.
Contact your Representative and Senators to raise awareness about the need to protect our scientific infrastructure. Congress has an obligation to hold OMB accountable for political overreach and ensure NSF has confirmed leadership and does not take actions outside of Congressional intent. Ask them to exercise that oversight. Share your thoughts in your community and on social media networks, as well. Advocacy for strong science policy requires awareness. Share how recent policy shifts and influences have disrupted your research and career. Don’t just voice your concerns — amplify the critical role of your psychological science in transforming the lives of everyday people. Contact your elected officials, even if they do not support your message. It is important that they know how federal policy changes are influencing the people they were elected to represent.
Contact your elected officials, even if they do not support your message. It is important that they know how federal policy changes are influencing the people they were elected to represent.
How do I share my concerns?
Focus your communication on telling a story. Describe for them why funding psychological science is important to you and to your community. How does it personally impact your life — was your research grant just terminated? How does it impact the quality of your research — what problems are harder to solve without this data, and what does it mean for individuals, organizations, and businesses in your community?
Share positive stories, too! Describe how psychological science research has improved the quality of life for individuals in your local community, how it has supported education and well-being and public policy that improves everyday lives.
Use these APS resources when you contact your elected officials. Share the one-pagers and watch the webinar for tips on crafting your message.
- Political Interference in Federal Science Funding One Pager
- Protecting NSF’s Independence & Scientific Integrity One Pager
- Webinar on storytelling to help you craft your message
If you call…
Be prepared before you call. Jot down a few notes about what you want to say. Consider sharing your message with a friend or colleague who can help you make sure your message is clear and free of scientific jargon. Practice what you want to say a couple of times before calling, but not so much that you appear scripted.
Call the office and tell whoever answers that you are a constituent and a scientist who lives in city X. You are calling because you are concerned about issue Y.
You will likely talk to a junior aide, but you may also be transferred to a legislative affairs staffer who handles your policy issues.
Share your story and, importantly, remember to ask that the Representative/Senator act.
If you email…
Personal messages are always more influential than form letters! A sample message is below, but please change it to reflect your interests and voice.
Nearly all congressional offices will have a contact email or contact form easily discoverable on their website.
Craft your message and hit send. Again, be sure to focus on a single issue and highlight why this is important to you. Letters that tackle more than one topic are less impactful.
Remember: Keep it simple, keep it short, keep it focused, keep it personal, keep it polite.
Visit your Representative in their district.
Representatives and Senators often host virtual and in-person town hall meetings or other community events to talk with their constituents. You can reach out to a district office to inquire about opportunities to talk with your Representative or Senator when they are in your hometown.
Check back for more resources!
Find Your Representative
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