Advocacy Response to Recent Actions by the U.S. Administration
Stay informed on the latest actions from the administration affecting NIH and federal funding. SfN, along with its coalition partners, is actively engaged on these issues.
Take Action Now
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Urge Congress to Protect Biomedical Research
Recent actions such as federal communication restrictions, funding freezes, and a new uncertain landscape for federal employees have left neuroscientists who receive funding through federal grants concerned about whether their important work will continue or be significantly hampered. Join fellow NeuroAdvocates in urging Congress to protect congressionally approved funding for biomedical research and the scientific workforce and ensure reliable funding continues uninterrupted.
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Urge Congress to Support 黑料社 in FY 2026
Join fellow NeuroAdvocates in urging Congress to support neuroscience priorities and increase research funding for Fiscal Year 2026. Advocates are asking for increases for existing Institutes and Centers at NIH, the BRAIN Initiative, NSF, and the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program which would demonstrate the congressional commitment to scientific research and discovery.
SfN Statements
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SfN鈥檚 Commitment to the Scientific Enterprise
This message was sent to SfN members Friday, April 25.
"Like you, I have watched with dismay and grave concern a number of actions taken by the Administration in the past few weeks that will prove devastating to scientific research in the U.S."
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SfN and Advocacy Coalition Partners
SfN works with a broad coalition of science and health organizations to champion policies that support research and discovery and help advance SfN鈥檚 legislative priorities. Read some of the recent actions and successes that have been carried out by organizations that SfN is a member of or actively collaborates with.
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Stuart Firestein, PhD, former Chair of Columbia University鈥檚 Department of Biological Sciences, highlights the importance of facilities and administration costs in neuroscience research in a new BrainFacts.org article.
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SfN's FY26 House LHHS Testimony
Each year, SfN weighs in with congressional leaders on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) appropriations subcommittee on funding needs for NIH. SfN President John H. Morrison submitted testimony to the House LHHS subcommittee highlighting the need for continued robust and uninterrupted funding for NIH in FY26.
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Statement on the NIH Imposed Standard Indirect Cost Rate
On February 7th, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) announced that effective immediately, all NIH grants must have a maximum indirect cost rate of 15% in lieu of the normal rates defined in an institution’s negotiated indirect cost rate agreement.
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Urge Congress to Protect Biomedical Research
Recent actions such as federal communication restrictions, funding freezes, and a new uncertain landscape for federal employees have left neuroscientists who receive funding through federal grants concerned about whether their important work will continue or be significantly hampered.
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Call to End Freeze on Federal Grants
The White House pause on federal grants is unprecedented and highly disruptive to the entire scientific community. The Administration has frozen previously approved and authorized funds, including reimbursements for funds already spent.
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SfN, NIH, and a Healthy Scientific Enterprise
This message was sent to SfN members Thursday, January 23.
"In light of the very recent federal executive actions that affect NIH including a freeze on hiring, study sections, Advisory Council meetings, travel, and communications, I wanted to reach out to all of you today..."
Statements from Coalition Partners
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Research!America released a statement in response to the proposed cuts to research in the President's FY26 Budget Request
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On April 14, 2025, Coaliton for Life Sciences (CLS) Chair Jo Handelsman and Executive Director Adrienne Hallett sent a letter to HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PHD, outlining the tremendous consequences of terminating research and asking that it be reinstated.
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Read the Statement from the National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR) In response to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s remarks on reducing animal testing at health agencies and the Food and Drug Administration鈥檚 announcement Thursday on plans to phase out animal testing in the development of monoclonal antibody therapies and other drugs.
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Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) and Vice Chair Patty Murray (D-WA) announced a two-part full committee hearing series, 鈥淏iomedical Research: Keeping America鈥檚 Edge in Innovation.鈥 On Wednesday, April 30, 2025, the Senate Appropriations Committee will hold the first hearing in the series, which will feature researchers and stakeholder groups to discuss the importance of U.S. biomedical research for the nation鈥檚 health and economy.
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Research!America issued a statement expressing alarm about the impact on medical and public health progress of mass layoffs and individual firings of key personnel reported at HHS agencies, slowing our progress toward new treatments for patients and weakening our global leadership in science.
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Research!America issued a statement congratulating Dr. Bhattacharya on becoming the 17th Director of NIH and is confident in his ability to put research to work at a previously unimagined scale against the host of diseases robbing Americans of health, hope, and time.
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The Coalition for Health Funding (CHF) issued a statement following the administration鈥檚 recent actions to reorganize the Department of Health and Human Services, freeze funding, and dismantle essential programs that protect public health. CHF calls on the administration to work with Congress and the health care community to improve the workings of our agencies to make them more effective, efficient, and better deliver care to the American public.
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The Coalition for Health Funding (CHF) issued a statement following the full-year continuing resolution stating they are deeply concerned about the state of health funding and continued efforts to cut valuable prevention, health, and research programs that do not reflect bipartisan consensus on funding priorities.
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AIBS Joint Letter on Impacts of Executive Act
The American Institute of Biological Sciences sent a letter to House and Senate leaders signed by scientific societies and organizations urging them to oppose the current Administration鈥檚 policies that are harming the U.S. scientific enterprise and threatening the integrity, progress, and global leadership of American science and technology.
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Research!America sent leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees a letter signed by 600 organizations and more than 3,500 people across the country speaking with a unified voice in support of the National Institutes of Health.
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The American Epilepsy Society (AES) strongly opposes the proposed funding cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including the drastic reduction of facilities and administrative (F&A) cost reimbursements to a 15% cap.
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Watch a recent briefing (February 20, 2025) co-hosted by the American Brain Coalition, SfN, and others, featuring BRAIN Initiative Director John Ngai, PhD and SfN Past President and GPA Chair Diane Lipscombe, PhD, as the moderator. The briefing focused on how the BRAIN Initiative continues to revolutionize brain science and its profound impact on improving lives, focused on a US Army Veteran patient advocate.
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By Federal government rules, the costs of research supported by grants from NIH are divided into two categories: direct costs for doing the research work and Facilities and Administration (F&A or “indirect costs”) for institutional infrastructure required to conduct the research.
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AAMC (Association of American Medical Colleges) President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and Chief Scientific Officer Elena Fuentes-Afflick, MD, MPH, issued the following statement regarding the administration’s announcement of severe cuts in facilities and administrative (also referred to as “indirect”) costs related to grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH)...
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Statement from the American Brain Coalition on Dangerous Cuts to NIH Research
The American Brain Coalition is alarmed and dismayed by the administration鈥檚 recent announcement that it will make drastic cuts to biomedical research funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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American science and innovation have advanced humanity for generations. The pursuit of science has led to humanity’s greatest advances, improving people’s lives and the health of our planet.
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The Coalition for Health Funding (CHF) issued the following statement regarding the release of President Trump’s FY 2026 proposed budget.
Engage with SfN鈥檚 Advocacy Efforts on Social Media
Follow SfN’s social media accounts to stay up to date with the latest advocacy efforts and join the conversation using #neuroadvocate and #neurosky in your own posts.
