Public Comment on OMB Proposed Rule Change
The Academy of Aphasia’s public comment on the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) proposed rule change (attached).
This proposed rule change poses a significant threat to the scientific enterprise in the United States and beyond. The proposed revisions to federal financial assistance rules could significantly alter the structure, oversight, and independence of federally funded research, with far-reaching implications for science, innovation, and public health.
The public comment period is currently open and will remain so until Monday, July 13, 2026 at 11:59pm (ET). The forum is open to the public, and anyone may submit a comment, including individual researchers and organizations both within and outside the United States.
If you would like to submit a comment—whether as an individual or on behalf of an organization—there are several helpful resources available, such as this letter-drafting tool from FASEB and this advocacy form from ASHA. Note that comments will be most effective if they are specific and substantive: (1) FASEB letter-drafting tool: FASEB Comment Tool; (2) ASHA advocacy form: ASHA Advocacy Action Form
 
Official submission portal: Regulations.gov Comment Portal (OMB-2026-0034-0001)
For additional context on the broader policy discussion, you may find the following resources useful:
We encourage members of our community to consider participating in this open comment process by July 13, as collective input from the scientific and clinical research communities is especially important at this stage.
Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued engagement in supporting science and research.
 
Statement from the Academy of Aphasia about disruptions to NIH funding
The recent administrative changes, funding disruptions, and staff reductions at NIH have created an alarming situation for aphasia research across the United States. As an organization established in 1962 that brings together specialists from neurology, linguistics, psychology, and speech pathology who all rely heavily on NIH funding, we view these developments with profound concern. Aphasia, a condition affecting language abilities that impacts nearly one-third of stroke survivors and numerous individuals living with other neurological conditions, requires sustained research attention. The value of this work cannot be overstated, as communication impairments can present significant challenges to daily life and social participation.
Funding research also offers an excellent return on US tax dollars. In 2023, the $37.81 billion NIH awarded supported 412,041 jobs and $92.89 billion in economic activity (United for Medical Research, 2024). The Academy of Aphasia views the proposed 15% ceiling on institutional support costs as particularly troubling. Research institutions require this funding to maintain crucial infrastructure that enables aphasia investigations: specialized assessment technologies, brain imaging equipment, secure participant data systems, and laboratory facilities. Furthermore, NIH-sponsored programs have created unprecedented opportunities for young scientists, and these cuts impede the continued training of the next generation of aphasia researchers.
The immediate consequences of these funding restrictions will extend beyond current research disruptions. Critically, they threaten to unravel the collaborative training and research ecosystem our organization and our academic and medical partners have carefully constructed to diagnose and treat aphasia. These include innovative cross-disciplinary approaches combining theoretical frameworks with clinical applications crucial to supporting aphasia survivors as they regain communication and social skills. The administration's actions will rob us of scientific advancements positioned to benefit more than 2.5 million Americans living with aphasia, and to reduce the >$15 billion in annual economic costs imposed by this communication disorder (Jacobs & Ellis, 2021).
In light of the historically bipartisan backing for medical research, we call on the US Administration to preserve appropriate funding mechanisms for NIH grantees. Consistency in funding maintains the momentum of scientific progress that offers hope to millions living with communication disorders. The Academy of Aphasia will continue advocating alongside partner organizations for substantial investment in communication disorders research, recognizing that stable funding directly translates to improved outcomes for individuals with aphasia and their families.
If you are a US-based researcher and feel comfortable doing so, please reach out to your representatives to share concerns regarding these threats to progress in understanding and treating aphasia. See this website which provides contact information, including names and phone numbers for your representatives: https://5calls.org/issue/nih-nsf-funding-cuts/. We hope the above text may be helpful to you in sending messages about the importance and impact of this research. Many thanks for your continued work.

From the Board of the Academy of Aphasia