Rebecca Love sits down with Elizabeth Ginexi, PhD—a former NIH scientific program official of 22 years who took early retirement after DOGE restructured the agency. She is now speaking out about a proposed OMB rule that she believes threatens the future of federal funding across every community in America.
The rule rewrites the Uniform Guidance (2 C.F.R. 200), quietly shifting it from "guidance" to "regulation." Elizabeth argues this is designed to bypass Congress's power of the purse—giving political appointees unilateral authority to block, steer, or cancel grants at will.
That means $48 billion in NIH funding. Plus Head Start. Plus Title I schools. Plus Meals on Wheels. Plus infrastructure projects. Plus every discretionary grant program that communities rely on.
This is not just about science. This is about every community in America.
*But there is a 45-day window to oppose it—and it closes July 13th.*
Elizabeth walks us through the mechanics of the rule, what is at stake, and—most importantly—exactly what we can do to fight back. She has written easy-to-follow guides and will provide links to submit a comment to the Federal Register and contact your elected officials.
We have until July 13th. Your voice matters.
Listen. Then act.
00:00 The Stakes: Why This Matters Right Now
04:04 What OMB Does and Why It Matters
06:43 From "Guidance" to "Regulation": The Shift Nobody Is Talking About
07:51 Congress vs. OMB: A Power Grab
11:10 How NIH Funding Works—and How This Rule Could Break It
13:00 Political Control of Grants: What That Looks Like in Practice
15:51 NIH's ROI: $48 Billion and Why It Matters
18:57 Beyond Science: Head Start, Infrastructure, and Every Community
23:03 How to Fight Back: The Two Actions You Can Take Today
26:44 Writing Effective Comments (No Expertise Required)
29:31 Use Your Voice: Why Silence Is Complicity
31:10 Final Thoughts & Where to Find Resources