{"aiVersion":"1","content":{"id":"cmuajk1nw0004bydrqorm7ss2","slug":"when-grant-decisions-meet-politics-what-happened-w-20260921","title":"When Grant Decisions Meet Politics: What happened with NIH funding","level":"EASY","publishedAt":"2026-09-21T01:03:09.700Z"},"topic":{"slug":"when-grant-decisions-meet-politics-what-happened-w-20260921","category":"science"},"article":{"paragraphs":["The White House is drafting a new executive order about research grants from the National Institutes of Health. President Donald Trump asked Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, to prepare the plan. The plan would create a board that reviews NIH grant awards and could change how funding decisions are made.","Many scientists are worried because NIH already changed some review rules this year. Some researchers and groups have filed a lawsuit that says NIH screened grants for certain keywords and blocked some projects. The issue has drawn attention from lawmakers and the public. Many people watch the changes."],"wordCount":104,"readTime":2},"vocabulary":[{"word":"grant","example":"Her lab received a grant to study viruses.","phonetic":"/ɡrænt/","definition":"money given for research or a project"},{"word":"review","example":"Experts will review the research proposal.","phonetic":"/rɪˈvjuː/","definition":"to look at something carefully to judge it"},{"word":"lawsuit","example":"The scientists filed a lawsuit in court.","phonetic":"/ˈlɔː.suːt/","definition":"a legal case brought to court"}],"quiz":[{"answer":"Russ Vought","question":"Who did the President ask to prepare the plan?"},{"answer":"National Institutes of Health","question":"Which agency gives the research grants mentioned?"},{"answer":"a lawsuit","question":"What did some researchers and groups file?"}],"discussion":[{"question":"Do you trust studies from universities and public labs? Why or why not?"},{"question":"Have you ever worked on a group project where decisions were changed by one person? What happened?"},{"question":"What do you think when you hear that money for research may be reviewed by non-scientists?"}]}