National Library of Medicine Funding

Funding for the National Library of Medicine (NLM) connects health practitioners and the public with the health literature. NLM coordinates a 6,000-member National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NN/LM), including eight Regional Medical Libraries that receive NLM support, 125 resource libraries connected to medical schools, and more than 5,000 libraries located primarily in hospitals and clinics.

Libraries benefit from NLM funding which supports the development and maintenance of the Library's 200+ databases and online services that are freely available through libraries (e.g., MedlinePlus and Clinical Trials.gov). NLM grants and funding also support librarian education and training for career development; regional funding through the NN/LM for outreach initiatives; and research grants to improve the dissemination, management, and use of biomedical information.

Fiscal Year 2023

• July 20, 2022 MLA Legislative Update Zoom Session 
  • Links to Recording; slide deck 1; slide deck 2; NLM handouts; session chat
  • PW: p4D*=n6N
• MLA/AAHSL briefing packet of NLM resources distributed during April-May 2022 virtual Capitol Hill Meetings
• NLM Infographic
• NLM Fact Sheet

Fiscal Year 2022

• MLA/AAHSL briefing packet of NLM resources distributed during May 2021 virtual Capitol Hill Meetings
• MLA/AAHSL statement to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee supporting NLM's fiscal year 2021 funding (June 2020)

Fiscal Year 2021

• MLA/AAHSL briefing packet of NLM resources distributed during May 2020 virtual Capitol Hill Meetings
• MLA/AAHSL statement to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee supporting NLM's fiscal year 2021 funding (June 2020)
• Community sign-on letter to President-elect Biden requesting continued support for NIH and COVID-19 supplemental appropriations (December 2020)
• Community sign-on letter to Congressional leadership urging swift action to complete work on the FY 2021 appropriations bills.

Fiscal Year 2020

• MLA/AAHSL statement to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee supporting NLM's fiscal year 2020 funding (June 2019)
• Community letter to Congressional leadership in support of NIH FY2020 spending bill (October 24, 2019)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet. NLM: a Platform for Biomedical Discovery and Data-Powered Health (April 2019)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet. NLM: a Leader in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science Research (April 2019)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet. Public Access to Taxpayer-Funded Research Strengthens Biomedical Research (April 2019)

Fiscal Year 2019

• MLA/AAHSL statement to the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee supporting NLM's fiscal year 2019 funding (June 2018)
• MLA/AAHSL statement to the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee supporting NLM's fiscal year 2019 funding (April 2018)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet. NLM: a Platform for Biomedical Discovery and Data-Powered Health (April 2018)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet. NLM: a Leader in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science Research (April 2018)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet. Public Access to Taxpayer-Funded Research Strengthens Biomedical Research (April 2018)
• Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research funding recommendation for NIH in FY 2019

Fiscal Year 2018

October 1, 2017-September 30, 2018

• Community Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding FY 2018 Budget (November 2017)
• Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Letter on FY 2018 Non-defense Discretionary Spending (on behalf of the health community) (July 2017)
• Community Letter to Congressional Leadership opposing cuts to Senate Allocation for Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies, FY 2018 (July 2017)
• Community Letter to Congressional Leadership Regarding FY 2018 302(b) Allocation (May 2017)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet, The National Library of Medicine: An Investment in Good Health (April 2017)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet, The National Library of Medicine: A Leader in Biomedical Informatics and Data Science Research (April 2017)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet, Public Access to Taxpayer Funded Research Strengthens Biomedical Research (April 2017)
• Community sign-on letter organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) urging Congress to avoid a year-long continuing resolution and complete the FY17 appropriations process and to decline the Administration's proposed cuts in FY18 (April 2017)
• MLA/AAHSL statements to the House and Senate Labor-Health and Human Services & Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees supporting NLM's fiscal year 2018 funding and recognizing the medical library community’s role in supporting NLM’s programs and services (March 2017)
• Dear Colleague Letter organized by members of the House of Representatives urging House members to support FY18 funding for NIH that is at least $2 billion above FY17 enacted levels (March 2017)
• Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Statement in response to the President's FY18 budget blueprint that guts NIH funding by nearly 20% current levels (March 2017)

Fiscal Year 2017

October 1, 2016-September 30, 2017

• Community sign-on letter organized by the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research to House and Senate leaders urging $34.1 billion for NIH by the end of the 2016 calendar year (November 2016)
• Community sign-on letter to President Trump and House and Senate leaders urging enactment of a final FY17 spending package that includes $34.1 billion for NIH and ensures that NIH remains a priority in FY18 and beyond (February 2017)
• Community sign-on letter organized by the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research thanking House and Senate Appropriations leadership for championing sustained, real-growth in medical research funding, and urging enactment by the end of the calendar year of the FY 17 Senate Committee-approved $34.1 billion for NIH (September 2016)
• MLA/AAHSL statement supporting NLM's fiscal year 2017 funding and recognizing the medical library community’s role in supporting NLM’s programs and services (March 31, 2016)

Fiscal Year 2016

October 1, 2015-September 30, 2016

• Community sign-on letter organized by NDD (Non-discretionary Defense) United to Congress urging that Congress raise the spending caps and end sequestration through a bipartisan budget deal by the start of the 2016 Fiscal Year (September 10, 2015)
• MLA/AAHSL comments and suggestions in support of the NIH-wide Strategic Plan (August 13, 2015)
• Community sign-on letter organized by the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research to the Senate HELP Committee on Medical Innovation (July 2015)
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet, The National Library of Medicine: An Investment in Good Health (June 2015)
• MLA/AAHSL statement supporting NLM's fiscal year 2016 funding and recognizing the medical library community’s role in supporting NLM’s programs and services (March 31, 2015)
• Community sign-on letter urging that sequestration be replaced with a balanced approach to the budget deficit (February 2015)

Legislation to Boost Funding

• The 21^st Century Cures Act (H.R. 6) amends the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize the National Institutes of Health (NIH) through FY2018. H.R. 6 would establish the NIH Innovation Fund to fund a strategic plan, early stage investigators, and high-risk, high-reward research. The NIH may require scientific data to be shared if the research is fully funded by the NIH. The bill passed the House July 10 and was referred to the Senate.

Fiscal Year 2015

October 1, 2014-September 30, 2015

• MLA comments and recommendations in response to the RFI: Soliciting Input into the Deliberations of the Advisory Committee to the NIH Director Working Group on the National Library of Medicine (March 13, 2015).
• MLA/AAHSL Fact Sheet, The National Library of Medicine: An Investment in Good Health (June 2014)
• MLA/AAHSL statement in support of NLM's FY 15 funding to Senate Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee (April 22, 2014)
• Coalition for Health Funding letter urging House and Senate Appropriations Committee Leadership to restore the FY 15 302(b) allocation to the Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee to FY 10 levels (March 2014)

Legislation to Boost Funding

The Next Generation Research Act (S. 1552) and (H.R. 5451) would establish the Next Generation of Research Initiative in the Office of the Director of the NIH for coordination of all NIH policies and progams aimed at promoting and providing opportunities for new researchers. MLA/AAHSL Letter of Support for H.R. 5451 (July 28, 2014)

• The American Cures Act (S. 2115) would establish a Biomedical Research Fund to be administered by the Secretary of the Treasury to provide for an expanded and sustained national investment in biomedical research.