NESACS and Act4Chemistry
By Doris Lewis
The summer has been an eventful time for government relations in science, both on the national and the state level. New government policies that strip the finding from science research have had massive effect on research and particularly on students on the undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral level. NESACS members are encouraged to participate in the ongoing ACS Act4Chemistry outreach and our committee activities. Of particular concern is the proposed OMB rule changing the decision basis for grant finding from peer review to government review that could withdraw funding at any time. According to ACS Act4Chemistry,
The Senate passed the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2027 (CR), to temporarily fund the government through December 11th. Included in this CR is language to temporarily block implementation of the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB) proposed rule regarding federal grant funding, which if finalized could go into effect October 1st.
The House of Representatives must now take the proposed CR and vote for it before the September 30th deadline for fiscal year 2027. Currently, Representatives are on recess and back in their districts until August 31st.
Earlier this summer, the ACS community joined thousands of scientists in submitting public comments to OMB outlining how the proposed rule would impact them and weaken federal research funding.
We ask you to take this opportunity to email your Representative and ask them to support this CR and its temporary block for the OMB proposed rule. Passage of this CR is an important next step in protecting U.S. scientific competitiveness.
Temporarily blocking the proposed rule would allow continued conversations within Congress on its potential impact and could allow this rule to either be withdrawn or significantly amended before its implementation.
If you have suggestions, feedback, or requests for assistance, you can contact us at act4chemistry@acs.org.
Our advocacy on the state level has centered on H.5259, legislation that would set aside $175 million for public universities and $25 million for private nonprofit institutions, to help offset their shortfalls in federal funds. Though this is a small amount of money compared with overall research funding, the certainty of its availability would help universities both public and private to be able to make commitments to young researchers. As Rep. Jake Auchincloss explained in a recent town hall meeting in Needham attended by Dr. Lewis, Congress restored the NIH funding cut by the administration in 2025, but the funds became available after graduate school admissions were announced. The issue is nothing less than the loss of a generation of scientists; hence our concern. Amy Sangiolo of the 11th Middlesex District had invited us to visit her at the Massachusetts State House, and on July 9 John-Hansen Machado and Doris Lewis were able to meet with her on H. 5259. The House has since passed the bill, and Doris has contacted her state senator Cindy Creem, majority leader of the Senate. The bill is strongly supported by the Governor, who originated the proposal, and by the Massachusetts Taxpayer Foundation, but has not been adopted into the budget.
Submitted by Doris Lewis, Chair, NESACS Government Relations Committee
Doris Lewis and John-Hansen Machado met with Rep. Amy Sangiolo at the Massachusetts State House
