Current Actions

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.