GAO: NIH committed unlawful impoundment by terminating 1,800+ grants
GAO found the National Institutes of Health violated the Impoundment Control Act when it terminated more than 1,800 research grants between February and June 2025 in response to executive directives, without following statutory rescission procedures.
Evidence
1 sources- 01https://www.gao.gov/assets/890/880607.pdf
GAO
trust 0.90“GAO Decision (August 5, 2025): NIH began terminating over 1,800 NIH grants between February 2025 and June 2025. GAO found NIH's withholding of grant funds violated the Impoundment Control Act.”
Across the aisle
Voices on this issue
Independent voices from different starting points, on the record about this kind of action. The framework grades behavior, not party — these quotes come from people who would say the same thing under any administration.
From the right
“Conservatism is supposed to be about institutions. If you are tearing the institutions down, you are not doing conservatism.”
Adam Kinzinger
Former Republican congressman from Illinois; House Jan 6 Committee member.
Kinzinger has restated this principle across multiple post-2021 appearances. Public statements (consolidated)
Follow the money
Money on this issue
Funds withheld, contracts awarded, contributions made, and lobbying disclosed in connection with this event. All figures are pulled from primary government records.
Withheld
Impoundment
- 1,800+ grants terminated; aggregate dollar value not summarized
National Institutes of Health → University and research-institution grantees
NIH terminated more than 1,800 active research grants between February and June 2025. GAO found termination occurred outside ICA's required rescission procedures.
Feb–Jun 2025 · GAO