MLACONNECT MEDLIB-ED JMLA

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NEWSROOM MEDLIB-ED JMLA

Advocacy Opportunity – NIH Appropriations Bill

Submitted by: Ryan Harris

The Senate and House Appropriations Committees are accepting submissions to the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Subcommittee through April 21, 2026. This means now is the time to contact your Senators and Representative to urge them to support NIH funding in FY 2027.

Both AAHSL and MLA, along with another 559 professional organizations, have signed on to the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research’s recommendation for at least $51.303 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for fiscal year (FY) 2027. This would represent a $4.087 billion, or 8.7%, increase over the enacted NIH funding level for FY 2026. It is great that professional organizations are reaching out to legislators; however, Senators and Representatives really want to hear from their constituents. 

Some things to keep in mind when reaching out to your elected officials:

  • Check your Senators’ and Representatives’ websites to see if they have a specific link to submit FY27 Appropriations requests. If they do, that would be the best place to submit. If you cannot find it on their website, you may need to call their office to ask if they have a specific form. 
  • Indicate you are reaching out as their constituent (not on behalf of your employer). 
  • Share that you are a medical librarian, that you use NLM resources, and that NLM is part of NIH.
  • If you can share specific examples of how NLM resources have helped you professionally or personally, that is great – stories have a great impact! You can also mention how crucial NLM resources are for the people and organizations you support.
  • Consider including the same recommendation as the Ad Hoc Group ($51.303 billion for NIH) to ensure Senators and Representatives receive consistent messaging.
  • Your message to your elected official can be brief. You can get inspiration from the full recommendation from the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research and the NLM Fact Sheet.

Thank you, 

MLA/AAHSL Joint Legislation Committee