University World News | White House
The 186th Executive Order, Improving Oversight of Federal Grantmaking , replaces the long-established practice of federally funded research grants being decided by a peer review panel by placing the final decision on grants in the hands of “senior appointees” named by the president (or cabinet secretaries, who are themselves named by the president). These political apparatchiks “shall not ministerially ratify or routinely defer to the recommendations of others in reviewing funding… but shall instead use their independent judgement” to ensure that the research grants “advance the national interest”.