Post

Killed. NSF’s SBE was killed, in violation of law. The President does not have the power to choose to kill programs at a whim by defunding them. The imperial presidency was a mistake and we are in a separation of powers constitutional crisis.

This post is unavailable.

Mark Histed

@markhisted.org

(Not dunking on @wamsleylab.bsky.social she’s right, I would just use a more active verb.)

3/10/26, 3:28 pm1 repost92 likes

Mark Histed

@markhisted.org

A few notes ‘42 U.S.C. § 1862(a)(1) says NSF is "authorized and directed" to support research in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, SOCIAL, and other sciences.’ www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/...

law.cornell.edu42 U.S. Code § 1862 - Functions

Mark Histed

@markhisted.org

42 U.S.C. § 19055 (CHIPS § 10346) requires the Director to solicit SBE researchers for cross-cutting programs and to put them on merit review panels. Arguably this is Congress asserting SBE will exist! www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/...

law.cornell.edu42 U.S. Code § 19055 - Social, behavioral, and economic sciences

brendan o’connor

@brenocon.bsky.social

thanks for the statute references. it’s maddening how plainly illegal their NSF actions are. in other areas too (there are entire sections on mandating it support DEI)

Mark Histed

@markhisted.org

This statute (Public Law 115-402 115th Congress, 2018) says “the Director… working through SBE…” That provision makes no sense if SBE is dead (Edited 11:48 via @skeetsapp.com)

Mark Histed

@markhisted.org

Moreover, Congress designed NSF to have a presidentially-appointed and Senate confirmed director, and a National Science Board serving not at the pleasure of the pres, to check the power of the director. But SCOTUS and Trump killed that structure. NSF today isn’t what Congress designed