July 2022

Urge Congress to Support Neuroscience in FY2023

Join your fellow NeuroAdvocates in urging Congress to support neuroscience priorities and increase research funding for Fiscal Year 2023. Send your Representative and Senators a message via SfN’s Advocacy Action Center and personalize it by including why robust federal funding is critical to your research and necessary to advance our understanding of the brain.

House Appropriators Approve FY2023 NIH Budget

The House Appropriations Committee has approved all 12 of their FY2023 spending bills including the Labor-HHS-Education bill overseeing the NIH. The bill provides $47.5 billion for the NIH, an increase of $2.5 billion over FY2022 as well as $2.75 billion within HHS for ARPA-H. The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research issued a statement thanking the Committee for the increase to NIH in FY2023. Additionally, House Appropriators approved the Commerce-Justice-Science spending bill which provides $9.63 billion for the NSF, an increase of $793.2 million over FY2022 as well as the Military Construction and VA spending bill, providing $926 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program, an increase of $44 million over FY2022. The spending bills will now move to full House consideration while the Senate has yet to begin its work on FY2023 appropriations.

Nomination for OSTP Director Announced

President Biden has nominated Dr. Arati Prabhakar, PhD to serve as Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). She would become the first woman, immigrant, or person of color to lead the Department. Dr. Prabhakar has previously served as head of National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). She currently is the founder and CEO of the nonprofit Actuate working to address large-scale societal problems such as climate change and public health. Once confirmed by the Senate, Dr. Prabhakar will be the President’s Chief Advisor for Science and Technology, a co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, and a member of the President’s Cabinet.

Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health Holds Hearing on Biomedical Research

The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Health recently held a hearing, "Investing in Public Health: Legislation to Support Patients, Workers, and Research" where they heard testimony from experts in the field on over 10 pieces of legislation, including proposals to enhance clinical trials diversity in NIH-funded trials as well as proposals to authorize funding for specific NIH research programs.

A Conversation on the Vision for ARPA-H

Acting Deputy Director of ARPA-H, Dr. Adam Russell recently sat down with Marvin Figueroa, Director of the Office of Intergovernmental and External Affairs at HHS to discuss what he envisions for the new agency moving forward. Dr. Russell explained throughout the conversation what ARPA-H is, the key elements, goals of the agency, and ways to get involved. This comes as the House of Representatives passed bipartisan authorization legislation (H.R.5585), outlining operating parameters for ARPA-H, and would place the agency within HHS while not requiring Senate confirmation of the Director.

Apply for a NIDA Diversity Scholars Travel Award to attend Neuroscience 2022

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Office of Diversity and Health Disparities (ODHD) offers Diversity Scholars Travel Awards to graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-stage investigators to attend national scientific conferences, including Neuroscience 2022 in San Diego from November 12–16. The NIDA ODHD anticipates supporting approximately 5-10 awards for Neuroscience 2022 in the amount of $1,500 each. For additional information or questions, contact Mrs. Julie Huffman (Julie.Huffman@nih.gov) or Dr. Albert Avila (aavila@nida.nih.gov). The deadline to apply for this award is August 12.   

Register for the 2022 Rally for Medical Research

Join your fellow advocates from around the country for the 2022 Rally for Medical Research taking place in-person on Wednesday, September 14 with a reception being held the evening before for all participants to celebrate medical research as a community. Advocates will meet with their congressional representatives and staff to discuss why funding for NIH should continue to be a national priority and raise awareness about the importance of continued investment in medical research.

Register for the 2022 NINDS Nonprofit Forum

The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) invites members of nonprofit organizations to an annual Nonprofit Forum, taking place as a virtual event from July 19th – 20th. The Progress through Partnership Forum provides an opportunity for nonprofit leaders to network with colleagues and to engage in discussions with NINDS staff. 

SfN Advocacy Resources:

• Introduce yourself to the new Congress via the Advocacy Action Center.
• Watch the Neuroscientist’s Guide to Advocacy series to understand the tools you need to help advance the field.
• Learn how to engage your members of Congress and effectively advocate for science with SfN's Advocacy Best Practices.
• Get involved in global advocacy.
• Talk to the public about the importance of animal research.
• Reach out to advocacy@sfn.org for assistance in preparing for your next advocacy effort at home or on Capitol Hill.