In the story “Research gets a boost in final 2023 spending agreement” (23 December 2022, p. 1263), the Science News Staff describe the US omnibus budget bill’s science investments, but they do not include the details of a last-minute rider that affects the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) (Eubalaena glacialis) (1, 2). Budget riders are additions to US federal budget bills. Because the bills are required to fund the US government, their eventual passage is guaranteed. If special interests can convince representatives to include a rider, they can bypass a full debate on policies that conflict with scientific evidence and established law. The use of appropriations riders as shortcuts to pass policies that circumvent existing environmental laws should not be tolerated.