Comment from Alexey Ostroumov

[200.205, 200.340] To Whom it May Concern: I am an assistant professor in neuroscience I am writing in my personal capacity to oppose the proposed revisions to sections 200.205 and 200.340 that would undermine the integrity of federal grant review processes and federal science agencies' ability to identify and fund impactful research. It would affect me because it would introduce unfairness into the grant review process. Grants of lower scientific merit could be funded, whereas stronger, higher-quality proposals could be disregarded. Funding decisions would become increasingly dependent on political preferences rather than scientific excellence, reducing predictability and confidence in the system. If funding decisions are based on political priorities rather than scientific merit, funding will become less predictable and more dependent on changing political preferences. This could discourage scientists and weaken the competitiveness of American science. The United States has built the world's leading scientific enterprise through rigorous peer review, and preserving that principle is essential for continued innovation.