NIH Vigils Newsletter 1/4/2026
Updates for the Week—Goodbye 2025, Welcome 2026
Court Settlement in the Second APHA vs. NIH Court Case
Following a lawsuit claiming political interference in the funding process, NIH agreed to individually evaluate previously stalled, denied, or withdrawn grant applications. This settlement ensures that researchers' proposals will be reviewed on their “scientific merits” and “individually and in good faith,” without applying the prior unlawful policy directives. As part of the agreement, NIH has set clear deadlines to render decisions on these applications, which address critical public health issues. The decision applies to public institutions in 16 states, American Public Health Association and United Auto Workers members, and other named plaintiffs, impacting more than 2,000 grants.
NIH Director Immediately Casts Doubts on the “In Good Faith”
NIH Director Jayanta Bhattacharya stated in a podcast interview that grants for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) research, which were court-ordered to be restored, will not be renewed when they come up for their yearly renewal. This is contrary to internal NIH guidance and may undermine prior legal findings. How does this qualify as “in good faith”?
American Academy of Pediatrics Sues HHS
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is suing HHS for unlawfully cutting nearly $12 million in public health funding. The lawsuit follows the defunding of AAP in an apparent act of HHS retaliation for AAP's advocacy on evidence-based vaccine policy and criticism of administration actions threatening children's health. AAP is seeking immediate court intervention to restore grants supporting critical programs for infant safety, developmental disability detection, and rural pediatric care, which face imminent closure.
Federal Support for Child Care Frozen
Using child care fraud investigations in Minnesota as justification, the administration indefinitely froze federal child care funding through the Child Care and Development Fund for all states. This measure immediately impacts low- and middle-income working families, who are already struggling with the end of the Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies on Dec. 31, 2025. HHS is demanding "justification and a receipt or photo evidence" before more money is released. In fact, the Administration for Children and Families, which administers the fund, does not have the capacity to review this evidence from every child care facility receiving funding in the country. This funding freeze is a direct attack on women in the workplace.
NASA Goddard Flight Center and Library Closing
This administration has been making a lot of changes to NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the agency’s premier spaceflight and science complex. The most recent in this series of attacks is the permanent closing of NASA’s largest library at the Goddard Flight Center. This will cause irreparable damage to the knowledge this country has on space, as there are many materials that are not yet digitized. Library staff are being told only 10-15% of physical materials will be able to be preserved. The rest will be disposed of by the General Service Administration. This is similar to Fahrenheit 451 in relation to book burning and knowledge destruction.
FEMA Facing More Layoffs
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has begun to get rid of multiple Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE) staff by not renewing their 2-4 year appointments. These positions have historically been renewed without question, but now FEMA is getting rid of these individuals without much thought or attention. This is the next step in the current administration’s attack on federal disaster response, and dismantling of FEMA as a whole.
New Year’s Intentions
Courage is Contagious: Us, you, we lead by example. By being here every week, by standing up for what is right.
Keep Fighting: You’ve been with us in this fight. Yes we are tired, and yet we persist. We will keep fighting, with you. This week: fighting for NASA’s Goddard library and archives, which are set to be trashed. Hell no! We will push back. Go to https://www.planetary.org/save-nasa-science and join the action.
Build Community: The NIH Vigil, 27 uNIHted, Science and Freedom Alliance, our allies in NIH, HHS, and throughout government, and all Americans. Togetherness is the key to pushing forward and our only path to victory.
Demand Accountability: HHS and NIH leadership are destroying biomedical research and public health in America. From measles to acetaminophen, from vaccines to health insurance affordability, we will not stop holding leadership accountable, countering their narrative with facts and data.
Midterm Elections: We are the cavalry. No one will save us but ourselves. The midterms are a good moment to show our power and determination. It is neither the beginning nor an end. Just a corner we must turn.
Defend Democracy: Speak up, call your members of Congress in support of science, healthcare, public health, scientific and data-driven policies, NIH, the Small Business “SBIR/STTR” program, and former and current federal workers.
Join us to share your intentions and hopes for 2026.
Punk Rock
The first 2026 show from our allies AllStrike will be on Sunday, January 4 at 7:00 p.m. ET at the Dew Drop Inn. No cover, 21+.
As always, please feel free to share this newsletter with people and groups you think would be interested.
Keep up the good trouble, and stay safe out there.
In solidarity,
NIH Vigils
Saturdays, 10:00 a.m., Medical Center Metro Station in front of the NIH Visitors Center.
Accessible parking is available at the Park and Ride. We recommend taking the Metro in. There is ample free parking at Grosvenor/Strathmore station one stop away.
This event is not sponsored by the NIH and views shared do not represent the NIH or the federal government.