Federal Funding for Research Update

Good news! Thanks to many of you who contacted their Congressional Representatives, federal funding for research was increased through FY-2017.

The MDA Advocacy newsletter reported the following:

Congress boosts federal funding for research

This month we thank Congress for including a boost to research funding in the recently passed omnibus spending package that funds the federal government through the end of fiscal year 2017.  The budget package includes a $2 billion (6% increase) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  MDA appreciates every lawmaker that supports increased funding for biomedical research and thanks to all advocates who urged their members of Congress to help ensure that NIH received this critical funding increase.  As budgeting for fiscal year 2018 moves forward, we will continue to call on Congress to keep up the momentum by committing to robust and consistent funding increases to NIH in this and future budgets.  With four new drug approvals for neuromuscular disorders in the past year and with a robust drug development pipeline, we must continue the push to make NIH funding and biomedical research an ongoing bipartisan Congressional priority.

Another call for action - NIH Budget Cuts

Take action to prevent cuts to federal research funding

We need your help to urge Congress to reject proposed cuts to National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding. Support for NIH is critical as it is the largest funding source of biomedical research in the United States, and why ensuring adequate funding for NIH is one of MDA's policy priorities. While research funding from organizations like MDA - which has invested more than $1 billion in research - is significant and is moving the needle, robust federal funding is essential to finding treatments and cures. Congress has come together in a bipartisan effort to support NIH funding in recent years, and it is up to all advocates to ensure that the bipartisan support continues. NIH fuding was increased in fiscal year (FY) 2016, and increases were proposed for FY17, though a final budget agreement for FY17 has not yet been enacted. It is a concern that there is no final budget in place for the current fiscal year, but of greater concern are the NIH budget cuts outlined in the President's budget blueprint (a $5.8 billion cut to NIH equivalent to 18% of the overall budget).

We must work together to ensure that research funding is not cut, and that NIH support continues to grow through strong bipartisan support in Congress. To deliver this message in person, researchers from leading institutions around the country visited Capitol Hill on March 22 in conjunction with MDA's 2017 Scientific Conference to urge Congress to reject any proposed funding cuts and to instead enact sustained and robust funding increases for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Now it is your turn to amplify this message. Please take a moment today to urge your members of Congress to maintain the bipartisan support for research and to reject any proposed cuts that would harm quest for the development of treatments and cures. 

We need to be heard! 

Years ago, I ignored these "calls for action" believing that they really didn't do any good. I am now an advocate of this approach. I now know my congressional representative's staff, an occasionally my representative, reads these emails. Even better, I receive a response and often a follow-up email explaining what happened and why. Thank you for your consideration. Please click on the "TAKE ACTION" above.