Biomedical researchers breathed a collective sigh of relief today after the White House loosened the purse strings that have hindered the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) from spending its 2026 budget on research grants. The news came at a House of Representatives hearing after Representative Rosa DeLauro (D–CT) had noted the number of grants awarded by NIH has “dwindled to a trickle”.

NIH Director Jayanta “Jay” Bhattacharya, who was testifying at the hearing, confirmed the news. Bhattacharya added that new grants will soon start to roll out—money spent so far this fiscal year had been mostly for grant renewals. He also said the agency will be filling empty leadership positions, which have multiplied during the unprecedented upheaval spurred by President Donald Trump’s return to the White House last year.

House and Senate appropriators earlier this year rejected Trump’s proposed 40% cut to NIH’s 2026 budget, instead approving a $415 million raise for the $47.2 billion agency. But OMB, led by Director Russell Vought, had until now limited NIH’s 2026 spending to salaries and other essential expenses.

Source https://www.science.org/content/article/white-house-lifts-hold-nih-research-spending

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