On September 17, members of the Endocrine Society joined advocates from around the country to call on Congress to provide increased funding for biomedical research as part of the 13th annual Rally for Medical Research. During the meetings, our members helped to raise the profile of endocrine research and reinforce the urgent need to increase funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and protect it from administration proposals that would undermine the agency’s ability to fund meritorious scientific research.
The Rally is a high-profile event on the Capitol Hill involving hundreds of meetings with congressional offices over the course of the day. The Endocrine Society once again provided a large contingent of members from important states and districts for the event. This year’s event was critical, as the NIH not only faces funding challenges but also is under threat from a proposed rule issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) that would place political considerations above merit-based scientific review for the selection and administration of grants. The rule would also impose restrictions and barriers on the dissemination of scientific information through publications and conferences.
During the meetings with Congressional offices, Rally participants reinforced the following important messages:
- Appreciation to Congress for providing consistent bipartisan support for the NIH and urged it to provide it with at least $51.3 billion in 2027.
- An urgent call on Congress to intervene and permanently block the proposed OMB rule from being finalized or going into effect.
Since the Rally, there was a meeting at the White House to discuss the proposed OMB rule and the White House discussed issuing an Executive Order to implement the proposed rule’s policy changes. Several members of Congress, however, intervened, but it is not clear what the White House may do. Consequently, it is more important than ever that all congressional offices hear from their constituents about the need to urge the administration to withdraw the proposed rule and prevent the enactment of any policies that undermine a federal grant system grounded in scientific merit, transparency, and stability.
