H.R. 5609: Stop RFK’s Bad Science Act

This bill, titled the "Stop RFK’s Bad Science Act," aims to reinstate funding for certain grants and awards that were terminated or suspended by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) between January 20, 2025, and the enactment of the bill. The key provisions of the bill include:

Reinstatement of Funding

The bill mandates that unless the Director of the NIH determines that there has been financial mismanagement, research fraud, or malfeasance related to a specific grant or award, all covered grants or awards that were suspended or terminated during the specified time frame will be:

• Reinstated: Recipients will have their funding restored.
• Considered Obligation: The reinstated funds will be regarded as obligated by the NIH, meaning the NIH must account for these funds as part of their budget.

Expedited Payment Process

The bill requires that any payment requests made by the recipients of these reinstated grants or awards be processed as quickly as possible. Specifically, the NIH must disburse these payments no later than 30 calendar days after receiving a request.

Extension of Grant Duration

Once a grant or award is reinstated or disbursed per the provisions of the bill, its budget period will be extended by one year, starting from the enactment date of the bill. This is intended to give recipients additional time to utilize the reinstated funds effectively.

Definitions

The bill also provides definitions for key terms, including:

• Budget Period: Defined as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
• Covered Grant or Award: Refers to any grant or award made under provisions administered by the NIH.
• Director: Refers to the Director of the NIH.
• NIH Official: Includes the Director and other designated officials responsible for grants and awards.

Process Overview

The bill establishes a clear process by which previously terminated funding will be restored, with an emphasis on prompt disbursement of funds and a one-year extension to the funding period, aiming to support research activities and initiatives impacted by the previous suspensions.

Relevant Companies

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