Navigate and Advocate
As we continue to navigate these unprecedented times, there is growing urgency for research advocates to engage with each other, the community, and policymakers. I encourage you to take a look at opportunities for engagement outlined in this letter to enhance your own and our collective ability to have impact. Research!America has developed a timeline highlighting key administration actions affecting medical and health research to help you stay informed.
On The Hill: Tomorrow, staff from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will brief House Energy and Commerce Committee staff and health aides on Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhaul of the agency, which includes substantial layoffs and division consolidations. Secretary Kennedy is not expected to participate in the briefing.
If you’d like to reach out to your members of Congress about these staff reductions and program consolidations, we’ve made it easy. Use our editable email to share why protecting research and public health matters. Make your voice heard.
Senate Appropriations Bipartisan Hearing: In welcome bipartisan leadership, Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair and Vice Chair, respectively, of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced a two-part hearing series, “Biomedical Research: Keeping America’s Edge in Innovation.” In the first hearing, on Wednesday, April 30, at 10:30 a.m. ET, the committee will hear from researchers and stakeholders on the importance of biomedical research and its impact on the economy. A second hearing (date TBD) will feature administration witnesses testifying on the government’s role in supporting biomedical research. You can watch the first hearing here. As we gather more information about the hearings, we will share that information in this space.
House Appropriations: On Wednesday, April 9, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) held its annual Public Witness Day hearing. Members heard directly from patients, researchers, and advocates about FY26 funding priorities — underscoring strong support for sustained investment in medical and public health research. Watch the video here.
Many Members of Congress are still accepting FY26 appropriations funding requests. Research!America has created a tracker to help you stay on top of congressional deadlines, and the latest United for Medical Research (UMR) report offers valuable state-specific data to help you make your case.
ARPA-H: A sign-on letter is circulating in support of ARPA-H funding for FY26. The letter urges Congress to allocate $1.7 billion — a $200 million increase over FY25. Read the letter here, the deadline for completing this form is COB Friday, April 18. For questions, contact Eve Granatosky at [email protected].
Member-only Meeting: Our next Research!America alliance member-only meeting will take place on Thursday, April 17, at noon ET. We will be joined by Cartier Esham, Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA. Esham will provide an update on recent developments at the Food and Drug Administration, including key structural and leadership changes, and explore potential impacts of these shifts on the research and public health landscape. If you are with a Research!America member organization, watch your emails for the registration link. If not and you would like to learn more about membership, please email Kristen Furlong.
Annual Meeting: Join us on Thursday, April 24, 1 to 2:15 p.m. ET for our virtual Annual Meeting of Members. Members will hear reports from Research!America leadership and vote on the election of new directors. Following the business portion of the meeting, we’ll put a spotlight on advocacy in the changing landscape. If your organization is a Research!America member, check your inboxes for registration information or reach out to Samantha Miller for more details.
Power of the Placebo: The placebo is a critical component of clinical trials, allowing researchers to determine whether a treatment is truly effective. The placebo effect remains a fascinating and widely discussed phenomenon, both within and beyond medical contexts. Join us on Tuesday, April 29, at noon ET for an engaging discussion on the placebo effect with Dr. Kathryn Hall, Senior Vice President for Research at the New York Academy of Medicine (NYAM). Register here. This is not a members-only opportunity, so everyone is welcome.
STAC Action: This week, the Science and Technology Action Committee, housed at Research!America, launched the first installment of a regular communication, The STAC Update, to keep the S&T network informed on relevant news, advocacy opportunities, updates from the science and technology community, and more. Sign up here to receive the next installment in your own inbox. Get engaged!
Gil Hearing: Earlier today, Dr. Dario Gil, emeritus member of the Research!America board and a former member of STAC, testified before the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on his nomination for the position of Under Secretary for Science and Innovation at the Department of Energy. We urge the Committee and the full Senate to confirm his nomination soon.
Speaking Out: Our statement last week on the harmful job cuts at the NIH was included in Chief HealthCare Executive publication. Press statements like ours are another avenue to engage with the community on the importance of health and medical research. We urge you to issue your own!
Microgrant Awardees Announced: Speaking of engagement, we were thrilled earlier this week to announce the 2024-2025 Civic Engagement Microgrant recipients. The Civic Engagement Microgrant program provides groups of early-career scientists with funding of up to $4,000 each to support innovative science outreach initiatives. Engaging with the community is a crucial part of scientists’ roles in society, and this program equips early-career scientists with the skills and opportunities to engage meaningfully with their communities. Stay tuned to this space for updates about this key program.