The Office of Management and Budget lifted a year-long restriction that had limited the National Institutes of Health to essential spending, allowing NIH to begin awarding new research grants. NIH Director Jayanta “Jay” Bhattacharya confirmed the apportionment at a House appropriations subcommittee hearing and said the agency will roll out new awards and fill leadership vacancies before year-end. Congress had rejected proposed cuts to NIH funding and increased the agency’s 2026 budget, but OMB had held back disbursements; stakeholders and investigators blamed the slow grant pace in part on that hold and on last fall’s shutdown. Bhattacharya said grant renewals covered most spending so far and pledged to push funds to “excellent science” across the biomedical community. This administrative change directly affects research timelines, hiring at academic centers and small biotech collaborations that depend on NIH grants for early-stage work. Labs and institutions should expect a stepped increase in funding notices and grant competitions in the coming months.