Rally for Medical Research 2026

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 04:00:00 GMT

Help amplify the voices of the scientific and patient communities and advocate for robust federal funding for medical research during the 14th Annual Rally for Medical Research Hill Day on September 17, 2026, in Washington, D.C. Advocates from more than 350 national organizations and institutions will gather to communicate with House and Senate offices on Capitol Hill about the value of investing in medical research and sustaining scientists’ role in decisions about grant funding. ASHG will lead efforts on behalf of the human genetics and genomics community. Can't be in DC? You can still participate in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day from wherever you live and work! We hope you will join us.

Why this is important:

NIH investment saves lives while strengthening America’s economy, health security, and global competitiveness. In FY 2025, research supported by NIH funding generated $94.15 billion for the economy, supported 390,863 jobs nationwide, and produced $2.57 for every $1 invested.
Earlier this year, the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a concerning proposal that would, if implemented, inject political considerations into federal research funding decisions.
Transparent, independent merit review has supported the strongest science for decades. The OMB rule would also allow active grants, including grants supporting ongoing clinical trials, to be terminated for reasons unrelated to recipient performance or scientific merit.
Congress has taken an important bipartisan step to block the OMB rule through December 11, but a temporary delay is not enough if the proposal simply takes effect later.

We urge Congress to:

Provide at least $51.3 billion for the NIH base budget in FY 2027, or the highest possible appropriation increase.
Avoid disruptions to the medical research system by working to complete the FY 2027 appropriations process in a timely manner and with bipartisan support.
Continue to prevent OMB from finalizing or implementing the proposed rule.

What you can do now:

Find your members of Congress by completing the form below. Send an email or connect with them on social media.
Explore the additional resources in the Learn More tab.
The messages below can also be copied and shared on other social media platforms.

Tell Congress How the OMB Proposed Rule Would Impact Research and Science

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 04:00:00 GMT

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is proposing sweeping changes to the federal regulations that govern grants and other forms of federal financial assistance. If finalized, these changes will significantly affect how universities, medical centers, research institutes, and scientific organizations receive and manage federal research funding, including by:

Usurping the role of independent, expert peer review in funding decisions.
Increasing political influence over which research projects receive federal support.
Limiting collaboration with colleagues across institutions and around the world.
Creating barriers to publishing and disseminating research findings that are critical to scientific progress.
Making it more difficult to participate in scientific conferences, where researchers share novel findings, establish collaborations, and receive feedback on their work.

During the public comment period, ASHG joined nearly 500,000 commenters in urging OMB to reconsider these proposals, highlighting how these changes are detrimental to the research enterprise. Now, Congress needs to hear directly from you so that lawmakers can exercise their oversight and legislative authority to prevent implementation of these changes and protect the independence of federally funded scientific research.

Tell your Members of Congress why withdrawing this proposed rule is important and how they can help:

Enforce Congress’s constitutional authority over federal spending by ensuring research funding priorities remain aligned with congressional appropriations and oversight.
Prevent an adverse impact on your ability to communicate, collaborate, share data, publish findings, and engage openly with the global scientific community.
Safeguard the integrity of federal research funding by maintaining independent, expert peer review and awarding funds based on scientific excellence and merit.
Protect the stability of the research enterprise to sustain jobs, attract federal and private investment, strengthen local economies, and ensure scientific discoveries continue to improve the lives of patients and families in your community.

Personal stories and local examples are especially valuable. As a reference, here are ASHG's formal comments in response to the proposed rule.

Current Actions

Rally for Medical Research 2026

Tell Congress How the OMB Proposed Rule Would Impact Research and Science