The National Science Board, the independent entity that guides the National Science Foundation, was dismissed late last Friday.
As of Monday morning ET, the NSF still had a list of NSB members up on its website.
We will continue to provide updates.
News and updates
Dept. of Ed Proposes Stricter Rules on Low-Earning College Programs
Last week, the Department of Education released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would establish a postsecondary education accountability framework imposing stricter rules related to federal student loans and earning thresholds.
Under the proposed rule, if the typical graduate of a particular program does not earn as much as a high school graduate, the program would be ineligible for federal student loans. Similarly, graduate programs would need to demonstrate leading to earnings above those of an average bachelor’s degree holder.
These accountability measures stem from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, and the agency characterizes this as the latest step in a promise to “break the cycle of low return on investment for students and taxpayers.”
The full NPRM can be found here.
NOAA Budget Request for FY2027 Now Available
The NOAA budget request for FY2027 is now available here.
As previously reported, the budget calls for significant reductions across the agency. Like last year’s request, this budget includes the proposed elimination of the the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research.
Trump nominates Dr. Erica Schwartz for CDC Director
President Trump has named Dr. Erica Schwartz as his latest pick to lead the CDC. If the Senate confirms her, she will be the agency’s fourth leader in just over a year. Dr. Schwartz is a physician and vaccine supporter, the latest signal that the administration is distancing itself from HHS Secretary RFK Jr.’s vaccine skepticism in the lead up to the midterms. Dr. Schwartz served as deputy surgeon general during the first Trump administration, and is a retired rear admiral in the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps.
President Trump also announced Sean Slovenski as deputy CDC director and chief operating officer, Dr. Jennifer Shuford as deputy director and chief medical officer, and Dr. Sara Brenner as a senior counselor to Secretary Kennedy.
Trump signs SBIR/STTR reauthorization bill into law
Yesterday, President Trump signed S. 3971, the “Small Business Innovation and Economic Security Act.” This legislation reauthorizes the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs through 2031. Since 1982, the SBIR and STTR programs, known together as America’s Seed Fund, have invested more than $81 billion into over 34,000 small businesses. Authorization had lapsed as of September 30, freezing billions of dollars in funding across multiple agencies, as Congress debated new program reforms. This five-year extension is the longest extension in the program’s history. The legislation reforms include significant security screening expansion, proposal submission caps, and a “strategic breakthrough” award mechanism allowing for larger award amounts.