Current Actions

NIH Funding is at Risk: Protect Human Genetics and Genomics Research

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 04:00:00 GMT

Funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is in danger: the President’s Budget Request proposes a 40% cut to NIH in FY 2026 and a major reorganization of NIH – reducing it from 27 institutes to eight – and the administration has already begun to implement this plan without providing proper notice to Congress. As a result, many researchers are unable to draw down funds, and over 2,600 grants have been cancelled outright.

Cuts to NIH and an unvetted reorganization would severely disrupt the nation’s biomedical research ecosystem. Not only will these changes affect all current and future researchers, but they will also impact patients, families, and clinicians who rely on scientific progress to improve diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of disease. We are calling on all members of our community to let your members of Congress know how these threats to NIH are affecting your research, patients, communities, and the future research workforce.

ASHG urges Congress to:

Safeguard NIH’s FY 2025 appropriations from withholding or delay;
Issue its strongest support possible for NIH funding in FY 2026; and
Exercise its oversight authority to ensure that any NIH reorganization protects the full spectrum of medical research, including genetics and genomics.

Now, more than ever, it is vital for Senators and Representatives to hear directly from their constituents (you!) about the value of NIH-funded research, and about the real-time impacts of these policies on the people and institutions in their districts.

Join ASHG’s campaign to protect NIH and human genetics research today!

Please enter your personal contact information (not your institution's address) to ensure that your message is delivered to your correct member of Congress.

We strongly encourage you to personalize the letter by describing your NIH-funded research and how it is being impacted.

If you work at a state university and are not sure if you can take action, please check with your institution's federal relations office.

You can also call your elected officials in Washington, DC by calling the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.

Urge Congress to Reject the President's Budget Proposal to Cut NIH, NSF

Fri, 02 May 2025 04:00:00 GMT

On May 2, the Trump Administration proposed sweeping cuts across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including a nearly 40% cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and an almost 60% reduction to the National Science Foundation (NSF). The President’s Budget Request (PBR) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 also includes a plan to reorganize NIH’s institutes and centers.

Congress must decide if and how it will implement the President’s recommendations. It is vitally important to tell Congress how this proposal will be devastating to biomedical research and the next generations of researchers. Tell your members of Congress your stories of how this will impact your ability to conduct research or treat patients. See how federal funding supports research in your state by using this resource: https://www.faseb.org/science-policy-and-advocacy/federal-funding-data

Use the form below to contact your members of Congress now and urge them not to cut research funding. It only takes a couple of minutes to send a message, and you don’t need to look up email addresses; our template will help you. There is space in the letter to share how these cuts will directly affect you.

You can also call your elected officials in Washington, DC by calling the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121.

Support Biomedical Research in the 119th Congress!

Thu, 27 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

In 2025, we have many challenges ahead of us. One of the most pressing is for Congress to pass the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 NIH budget. The current stop-gap funding measure for the FY25 budget, known as a continuing resolution (CR), will expire on March 14, 2025. It is essential that Congress comes together in a bipartisan manner to finalize FY25 appropriations as soon as possible to ensure that federal agencies like the NIH receive the resources necessary to continue supporting scientific research in human genetics, genomics, and beyond. Act now to encourage your members of Congress to support biomedical research as a key Congressional priority, and to urge them to finalize FY25 funding as soon as possible.

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.

Contact Your Members of Congress about Recent Executive Actions

Thu, 06 Feb 2025 05:00:00 GMT

In recent weeks, there have been several government directives that have impacted many members of the ASHG community and the scientific research community more broadly. At ASHG, we remain committed to our core values and mission in advancing human genetics and genomics research. It is critical that Congressional offices hear directly from constituents about how this disruption has affected your work and the significant implications to existing investments and the research workforce. Let your members of Congress know the impact of these actions on you and your colleagues.

The form below will allow you to contact your Senators and Representatives. You can use FASEB’s State Summary data to add additional details about federal research funding to your district and state for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Science Foundation (NSF), and other agencies. We encourage you to personalize the letter to share details of the impact on your work.