On Thursday September 14, Endocrine Society members joined hundreds of researchers, physicians, and patients on Capitol Hill as part of the 11th Annual Rally for Medical Research. Rally participants shared the same messages: ensuring the highest possible appropriation increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in FY 2024 and completing the work on FY 2024 spending bills as quickly as possible to avoid disruptions caused by continuing resolutions.
The timing of this year’s Rally was critical, as the deadline for Congress to complete appropriations for FY 2024 is September 30 and yet members of the House of Representatives and the Senate were still far apart on funding levels they agree on. If it is unable to pass an appropriations bill by the deadline, Congress will need to pass a continuing resolution that will fund the government at the current year’s level, or the federal government will “shut down” until funding legislation is passed.
We believe the Rally Hill Day did provide congressional offices with more information about the value of biomedical research, increase the visibility of endocrine-related research, and will help influence future policy decisions, including the length of a shut down.
During our visits with congressional offices, we shared that steady, sustained investment is essential to further research progress. Cuts to the NIH budget would prevent research teams from making groundbreaking discoveries that advance our understanding of diabetes; identify biomarkers to detect early-stage pancreatic cancer and more effectively treat breast, thyroid, and other endocrine cancers; and evidence-based treatment options to address the obesity epidemic.
As this issue of Endocrine News went to press, funding for the NIH and the federal government was in serious jeopardy and it was unclear whether Congress would be able to avert a shut down. Please check endocrine.org for information updates for the latest information. The Society will provide current information on how a shutdown will affect research grants, submissions, study sections, and Advisory Councils.
In any event, however, we believe the Rally Hill Day did provide congressional offices with more information about the value of biomedical research, increase the visibility of endocrine-related research, and will help influence future policy decisions, including the length of a shut down.
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