Consumer advocacy groups are raising concerns about the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, alleging that federal funding is being used to promote left-leaning initiatives related to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), along with transgender issues. This critique comes from a report by Consumers Research, which characterizes activities such as research, workshops, and grants as politically biased.
Will Hild, the executive director of Consumers Research, labeled the organization as a “radical woke organization masquerading as a nonpartisan educational entity.” He expressed frustration over taxpayer money being spent on agendas that seem to favor one side of the political spectrum. “From promoting transgender ideology in schools to advocating for defunding the police, they’re consistently misusing their funding to support leftist causes,” Hild stated to Fox News Digital. He emphasized that substantial taxpayer dollars are being allocated toward what he sees as a polarized agenda masked in sophisticated language about objectivity.
The report highlights various publications and workshops aimed at supporting transgender youth and addressing inequalities between LGBTQ youth and their cisgender counterparts. One workshop title referenced was “Supporting the Health and Well-Being of Transgender and Gender Diverse Youth,” alongside a publication on reducing disparities among different youth groups.
In 2022, the National Academies teamed up with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative to distribute grants averaging $1.15 million to help advance DEI efforts in the biomedical field.
After the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, NASEM launched a commission to address racial inequalities within the criminal justice system, evaluating proposals like significant budget cuts to police funding in cities like Austin, Texas. This led to accusations from commission co-chair Bruce Western that police contribute significantly to harm in low-income neighborhoods.
The organization has also produced multiple studies on climate change. One particularly focused on enhancing skills for greater public engagement in climate initiatives. Critics have previously condemned NASEM for a climate review aimed at influencing the EPA’s decisions, suggesting it was an attempt to challenge the previous administration’s stance on environmental regulations.
Roger Pilke Jr., a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, remarked that the national academies have shifted from serving Congress to acting independently, influenced instead by wealthy individuals and foundations.
Pirke brought attention to the role of the Bezos Earth Fund, which supports NASEM’s work on climate issues. He argued that there is significant evidence of bias stemming from this funding, which also backs climate-related lawsuits. He indicated that concerns about conflicts of interest extend beyond funding sources to include partnerships that researchers form in their pursuit of seemingly impartial scientific work.
Fox News Digital reached out to NASEM for their perspective on these allegations.
