COGR Submits Response to OMB RFI on Deregulation

COGR responded to an Office of Management and Budget Request for Information on regulatory reform, advocating for significant reduction and harmonization of federal research regulations to minimize administrative burden and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of federally funded research. The letter notes widespread duplication, inconsistency, and outdated requirements across federal agencies in areas such as grant application, reporting, compliance, research security, and data management, and provides 16 detailed recommendations—including standardizing agency forms, consolidating conflict of interest and misconduct policies, and modernizing data and financial reporting—that target substantial improvements in the research enterprise without compromising accountability or research integrity. The letter underscores the need for timely, stakeholder-informed deregulation to maintain U.S. leadership in science and innovation, and urges adoption of shared systems and streamlined procedures to optimize the nation’s investments in research.