AIP Publishing has submitted comments to the Office of Management and Budget on a proposed rule that would change how federal research grants can be used to support scholarly publishing, arguing that the changes would weaken, rather than strengthen, the integrity of federally funded research.  

As a not-for-profit publisher owned by the American Institute of Physics, AIP Publishing exists to advance the physical sciences, not to generate returns for shareholders. Every dollar of surplus revenue goes back into the scientific societies and programs we serve. That mission depends on a research and publishing ecosystem that is well funded, rigorously reviewed, and open to collaboration across borders.  

The proposed rule would move away from that model. It would make it harder for researchers to cover the cost of peer review and publication, harder for institutions to maintain independent, expert-led evaluation of federally funded work, and harder for American scientists to collaborate with international partners on the large-scale projects that define modern physics.  

AIP Publishing’s position is straightforward: public investment in research should also invest in making that research public, rigorously reviewed, and available to build on. Peer review and publication are not incidental costs. They are the mechanism by which federally funded research becomes trustworthy, usable, and part of the permanent scientific record.  

We also believe that decisions about which research gets funded should continue to rest on independent scientific merit, not shifting administration priorities, and that the international collaboration essential to fields like physics should be supported, not restricted by default.  

AIP Publishing has urged OMB to reconsider this proposal and to extend the comment period so that the research and publishing community has adequate time to respond. We will continue to make the case for a federal research policy that supports, rather than undermines, the institutions responsible for the quality and integrity of publicly funded science.