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Join ASH's Advocacy Efforts to Increase NIH Funding
Your Senators and Representatives need to hear from you about fiscal year (FY) 2006 funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Now is the time to contact your Senators and Representatives to generate their interest in supporting FY 2006 NIH funding. The House and Senate will begin the process of formulating their budget proposals in the coming months. With a very tight year expected for the entire federal budget, grassroots support for NIH funding is critical to gain any traction in the Congressional budget process. Please help ASH’s grassroots advocacy efforts by contacting your Senators and Representative in support of a NIH budget of at least $30 billion for FY 2006, a 6 percent increase over the FY 2005 level. Thanks for taking action on behalf of ASH! If you have questions, or need more information, please contact ASH Government Affairs Manager Jeff Coughlin at
Dear [ Decision Maker ] , As a hematologist interested in research on serious blood disorders, I write to urge your support of NIH to advance groundbreaking basic, clinical, and translational research. I support an NIH budget of at least $30 billion for FY 2006, a 6 percent increase over the FY 2005 level. I am seriously concerned that President Bush's FY 2006 Budget proposes an insufficient funding level for NIH and its research programs that are critical to furthering science and America's health. In FY 2006, the NIH budget must grow by 3.5 percent just to keep pace with inflation. The President's proposed 0.7 percent increase for NIH will fall short of inflation and may force NIH to choose between ongoing basic research efforts or new clinical research activities, resulting in an overall slowdown in medical discoveries. For hematology, the President's budget will effectively freeze research resources into cures and treatments for millions of Americans with blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma; bleeding disorders such as hemophilia; clotting problems such as thrombosis; and, genetic disorders such as sickle cell disease, and Cooley's anemia, among others. While I appreciate the need for fiscal restraint, the President's recommended budget marks the third year in a row that the NIH budget will not keep pace with inflation and it can not sustain the momentum of discovery at the Institutes. Unless NIH is adequately funded, it will be extremely difficult for hematologists and other health professionals to train promising researchers, create research advances, and improve the health of all Americans. Please support an NIH budget of at least $30 billion for FY 2006. Thank you for your interest in this issue and I appreciate your support. Please contact me if I can provide additional information to you.
Sincerely, |
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| Background Information |
The release of the President's FY 2006 Budget Proposal initiates the annual appropriations process for the year. Overall, this year’s federal budget is trimmed down, with the President committed to reducing the federal budget deficit. Most of the FY 2006 budget increase in his proposal is dedicated to the Departments of Defense and Homeland Security. Other agencies, such as NIH, will face a difficult time in securing additional funding.
This year’s NIH budget situation is exacerbated by the after-effects of the five-year effort that doubled the NIH budget between FYs 1998 and 2003. Many policymakers appear not to understand that sustaining the momentum of discovery requireds a long-term commitment of significant resources. In FY 2006, the NIH budget must grow by 3.5 percent, or nearly $1 billion, just to keep pace with inflation. Further the NIH has ambitious plans for new initiatives. To ensure that NIH's momentum is not further eroded, and to continue to build the hematologic research portfolio, ASH will work with the Congress to seek an NIH budget of at least $30 billion for FY 2006, a 6 percent increase over the FY 2005 level.
However, the reach of NIH funding provides biomedical research advocates like ASH with a unique opportunity. With NIH grant recipients located in most states and many Congressional districts, the chance to build nationwide grassroots support for increased NIH funding is achievable. The first step for ASH is to have its membership explain to their Members of Congress how vital NIH funding is to the medical research enterprise as well as how valuable NIH-sponsored research is to the health and well being of their constituents.
Your grassroots activism is only one part of ASH’s overall plan to advocate for increased FY 2006 NIH funding. The Society will continue to work with House and Senate appropriators and our other advocacy partners to ensure that the nation maintains a commitment to medical research.
More information about NIH's FY 2006 budget is available online.
Thank you for your interest and support.
