STAT+: Senate measure would block Trump plan to politicize federal grants, for now
A White House proposal to subject research grants to political scrutiny meets at least a temporary roadblock in the Senate.
Senate leadership unveiled a bipartisan government funding stopgap measure on Sunday, which aims to prevent the White House's scheme of entrusting political appointees with oversight of federal research grants. The continuing resolution would supply funding to the government until December 11. The provision would only stall the Trump administration's recent grants proposal until then.
However, the deal reached between Republican leadership and the Senate may render it more challenging for Republicans to permit the White House's plan to proceed, even temporarily.
The provision arose from discussions in the appropriations committee, which Republican leadership agreed upon. The Senate is anticipated to mull over the funding bill this week, following which members will take a break for the August recess. The government funding bill that the House approved two weeks ago does not incorporate a similar clause to block the grant rule.
Presently, the House is on recess, and once they return, the two chambers will need to reconcile their disparities before the government funding lapses at the end of September. The president will subsequently need to sign the legislation.
Written by urgent.news from STAT News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
This story
This is one outlet's version. Read the fullest account.
