ASE Joins Research Community Comments on the OMB Uniform Guidance Proposed Rule

On July 10, ASE joined the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, a coalition of nearly 600 organizations supporting NIH funding, in comments to OMB Director Russell Vought on proposed revisions to the Uniform Guidance for Federal Financial Assistance (OMB-2026-0034). The letter warns that new pre-issuance political review, expanded risk assessments and mid-award condition changes, and broadened authority to suspend or terminate awards would slow funding and undermine stability. It also cautions that a rushed shift to multi-year awards could shrink the pool of new annual awards, and objects to the proposed October 1, 2026 effective date as too fast for proper review, urging OMB to withdraw the rule.

ASE signed on because stable NIH funding supports the equipment, staffing, and continuity that echocardiography research and clinical studies depend on. Provisions that add uncertainty or make awards easier to suspend or terminate would be especially disruptive to imaging research and could discourage institutions from building long-term research capacity.