Recent News on Prairie Fire

The Washington Post. What the Democrats can (and cannot) do to reverse Trump’s education upheaval
The new Democratic Congress is expected to scrutinize the Trump administration’s freezes and reductions of university research grants, with Rep. Zoe Lofgren promising to make the politicization of science funding a priority. But universities caution that Congress cannot simply reverse executive actions overnight, leaving the federal research system facing continued uncertainty.

AIP FYI. Congressional leaders are preparing to challenge the administration’s politicization of science
AIP reports that incoming congressional leaders are preparing to challenge the administration’s politicization of science, while a coalition warns that agencies are implementing portions of a controversial OMB grant policy despite congressional restrictions. The roundup also notes that the White House postponed the first meeting of President Trump’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

The Washington Post / The Hill. America’s scientific future depends on what Congress does next
The commentary argues that the past two years of disruption to federal research funding have damaged young scientists’ confidence that they can build careers in American research. It calls on the incoming Congress to use appropriations and oversight to stabilize federal science and rebuild research capacity that has already been lost.

GBH / New England News Collaborative. Advocates for science funding energized by midterm rout
Scientists and research advocates see the change in congressional control as an opportunity to restore federal grants terminated by the Trump administration. The story includes epidemiologist Scott Delaney, whose own Harvard grant was terminated and who now runs Grant Witness to track federal grant activity.

STAT. Two incoming lawmakers plan to defend health equity from Trump administration cuts
Newly elected scientists Abdul El-Sayed and Jasmine Clark say they intend to use their research backgrounds to push back against cuts to health-equity research and programs intended to diversify the scientific workforce. Their elections illustrate how the administration’s science policies have themselves begun producing a political response among researchers and physicians.

Nature. ‘Historic change’: what the 2026 US mid-term election results mean for science
Researchers interviewed by Nature hope Democratic control of Congress will allow lawmakers to resist grant cancellations, political review of research and other changes imposed by the Trump administration. The article cautions, however, that many science policies were imposed through executive authority and cannot easily be undone by Congress alone.

The New York Times. Congress Moves Toward a Vote on Energy Permitting Reform
Congress is moving toward legislation intended to speed approval of major energy and infrastructure projects by changing federal permitting rules. The debate pits lawmakers who argue that faster reviews are essential for expanding both renewable and conventional energy infrastructure against environmental groups concerned that streamlined permitting could weaken safeguards and public review.

The New York Times. U.S. Moves to Revamp Pandemic Prevention Efforts in African Countries
The Trump administration is reshaping U.S. pandemic-prevention programs in Africa, changing how Washington works with governments to monitor outbreaks and strengthen public-health systems. The shift raises concerns among global-health experts that reductions or restructuring of longstanding programs could weaken early-warning capacity for diseases that may eventually threaten populations far beyond Africa.