Advocacy Network News

Spotlight

SfN’s Continues to Address Federal Policies on Biomedical Research 

Check out the latest response from SfN, including a recent Research!America sign-on letter in support of NIH funding, signed by more than 500 organizations and 2,300 individuals. Additionally, learn about how SfN engages with coalition partners as organizations continue to respond to Trump administration policies that harm biomedical research.   

Staff at the NIH Call for Support Through The Bethesda Declaration

The Bethesda Declaration is collecting individual signatures in support of the open letter recently published by NIH employees. The letter is a call for NIH and HHS leadership to deliver on promises of academic freedom and scientific excellence.

SfN News

Read: SfN Members See Direct Consequences of Government Policy Changes

SfN members from across the country share how the direct consequences of federal administrative actions, including communication freezes, funding freezes, and grant cancellations, have impacted their research.

SfN’s FY26 Written Congressional Testimony 

SfN President John H. Morrison, PhD, weighed in with congressional leaders on the House and Senate Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS), Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS), and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA) subcommittees ahead of their FY26 budget markups. SfN’s testimony focused on the importance of biomedical research, the continued use of animal models, recent advancements in neuroscience, and harm caused by federal administrative actions, including funding cuts and potential caps to Facilities and Administrative (F&A) costs. 

Federal News

Full FY26 President’s Budget Request Released 

The Trump administration released its full FY26 budget request, which includes damaging cuts to biomedical research, including a nearly $18 billion cut to NIH, a restructuring of its Institutes and Centers, and a $5 billion cut to NSF. While the release of a budget recommendation is the first step in the appropriations process, Congress has the final say in deciding funding levels for federal agencies. Join fellow NeuroAdvocates in urging Congress to support robust funding for neuroscience priorities in FY26. 

House Appropriations Committee Begins FY26 Markups 

The House Appropriations Committee began releasing and marking up its draft appropriations bills, starting with the MilCon-VA bill, which includes $943 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program. The LHHS and CJS bills are expected to go through markups later this summer. 

Senate LHHS Subcommittee Holds Hearing on NIH Budget

Watch the recent Senate Appropriations LHHS subcommittee hearing on the FY26 NIH budget to hear about both NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, PhD, and congressional priorities for NIH in FY26. 

• Watch the SfN Co-Sponsored Congressional Neuroscience Caucus Briefing about the BRAIN Initiative:Hear from panelists, including BRAIN Initiative Director John Ngai, PhD, and National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow, MD. 

• Talk to the public about the importance of animal research.