Summary

Prohibits most political appointees from working in or making program and funding decisions at NIH and ARPA‑H, creates a statutory definition of “political employee,” requires NIH to report on recent political‑employee involvement in funding actions, and limits the agency’s ability to cancel or suspend grants and other agreements without written findings and prompt congressional notice. The measure preserves certain statutory requirements and exempts top agency directors and narrowly defined, required interagency participation.

• Creates a statutory definition of "political employee" covering several categories of executive‑branch noncareer and excepted positions.
• Bans political employees from employment at NIH and from taking part in NIH management and policy implementation, with limited high‑level exceptions.
• Bars political employees from participating in solicitation, review, scoring, selection, or awarding of NIH and ARPA‑H funding instruments.
• Requires the NIH Director to report to Congress within 30 days on political‑employee involvement in funding from Jan 20, 2021 to enactment.
• Prevents cancellation, delay, or suspension of grants and similar agreements except for specified misconduct or mismanagement, with written findings and congressional notice within 30 days.
• Preserves applicability of other existing statutory provisions referenced in the Public Health Service Act.
• Does not appropriate new funds or change existing program funding authorities directly.
• May change how interagency detailees and political appointees participate in NIH and ARPA‑H activities.