Current Actions

Potential Government Shutdown

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Next Tuesday, September 30, 2025 is the deadline for Congress to agree on Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 appropriations bills to avoid a government shutdown. If Congress cannot meet an agreement by September 30, they must work together to fund the government using a short-term Continuing Resolution (CR). As you know, a shutdown will cause significant disruptions for federal employees, researchers, and the broader public health system.

Tell Congress it is important to avoid a shutdown so that scientific progress can continue. Reach out to Congress today and make sure they understand the human costs of a shutdown!

Please enter your personal contact information (not your institution's address) to ensure that your message is delivered to the correct official. We strongly encourage you to personalize the letter by sharing why NIH, and scientific research as a whole, matters to you.

Join Us in Rallying for Medical Research!

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Last week was the 13th annual Rally for Medical Research Hill Day. ASHG, along with 500 partner organizations, visited legislative offices to advocate for NIH and robust investment in biomedical research.

You can participate virtually with just a few clicks! Use the message below to highlight the many ways in which NIH funding has supported critical advances, exciting developments, and lifesaving treatments in your lab, district, and state. This year, the Rally for Medical Research participants are urging Congress to:

Approve robust NIH funding for FY2026: To fully seize today’s scientific opportunities and meet patient needs, we collectively recommend allocating at least $51.3 billion for NIH in FY2026. We are grateful that leaders in both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees have reaffirmed their bipartisan support of medical research and urge Congress to build on that commitment in the final budget.
Ensure the timely release of FY2025 funds: In FY2025, NIH has obligated nearly $8 billion less than Congress appropriated compared to the same time last year, with thousands of approved grants delayed or terminated. Congress must ensure the funds they approved are released without delay – before the end of the fiscal year on September 30th.
Ensure taxpayer dollars continue to support the best research: Requiring grant review by political appointees risks undermining the foundational principles of freedom of inquiry and scientific merit that have long guided the success of American biomedical research. Importantly, it is contrary to the funding of the most scientifically meritorious grants.
Strengthen America’s edge in innovation: Every dollar invested in NIH generates $2.56 in economic activity, contributing nearly $95 billion to the U.S. economy in FY2024 and supporting over 407,000 jobs across almost every congressional district. Cutting back now would weaken America’s economy, weaken our national security, and cede leadership in medical innovation.

Reach out to Congress today! When you contact Congress, you make research personal. You remind lawmakers that behind every number in a budget is a patient, a family, and a future at stake.

Research Funding at Stake: Urgent Advocacy Needed for NIH Indirect Cost Policy

Tue, 11 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

UPDATE: On February 10, the attorneys general of 22 states filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for unlawfully imposing a 15% rate for Facilities and Administration (F&A) costs. A federal district court judge issued a temporary restraining order preventing DHHS/NIH from applying the new F&A rate in the 22 states involved in the lawsuit. In addition, a federal judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts granted the Association of American Medical Colleges' motion for a nationwide temporary restraining order. However, additional legal rulings may allow DHHS/NIH to fully implement the new policy at a later time.

The recent abrupt change in the National Institutes of Health (NIH)’s Facilities and Administration (F&A) policy will have a significant impact on the scientific community. On February 7, NIH announced an immediate cap of 15% on F&A payments included in grants provided to universities, hospitals, and research institutes. These payments help cover essential expenses such as lab space, utilities, and compliance with federal regulations on animal welfare, research security, and biosafety. Capping NIH indirect costs to 15% is concerning to both scientific research and the local economies supported by the research ecosystem. We encourage you to let Congress know the negative impact that this policy change will have on you and the human genetics and genomics research community.

By entering your address, the form below will allow you to contact your members of Congress. We encourage you to personalize the letter to share details of the impact on your work. You can use the following resources to add additional details about federal research funding to your district and state:

You can also contact your House Representative or Senators by phone by calling the Capitol Switchboard. Simply call this number (202) 224-3121, give the operator your zip code, and they will connect you with your elected officials' office.