AI, Appropriations, Awards, and More
Hardly a day goes by without a headline on artificial intelligence (AI). As the public learns more about AI, we are seeing a shift in public sentiment, with a lower percentage saying they are ‘not sure’ what to think, accompanied by a significant downturn in confidence.
In our latest commissioned survey, 48.7% of Americans said that AI presents significant risks to their quality of life, through potential job loss, loss of privacy, or abuse of data, up from 44.6% the year before. Also noteworthy, 59.9% of those between the ages of 18 and 24 said AI posed significant risks, higher than any other age group.
A parallel indicator is the decreasing percentage of Americans this year saying AI has tremendous potential to bring about advancements that will improve their lives, down from 45.1% to 42.6%. This bears watching, and we will be doing that!
For survey findings on other topics, see the full survey.
On the Hill: Congress continues to move forward on the Fiscal Year 2027 (FY27) appropriations cycle, with many offices finalizing deadlines for appropriations requests as they refine their funding priorities for next year. As a reminder, Research!America is maintaining a tracker of appropriations request deadlines for each member of Congress.
FY27 Public Witness Testimony: Several House Appropriations subcommittees are accepting written public witness testimony on FY27 funding priorities. The Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Subcommittee, which funds the National Science Foundation, is accepting submissions through May 8, at 6 p.m. ET. As a reminder, the House Labor-HHS Subcommittee, which allocates funding for NIH, CDC, AHRQ, BARDA, ARPA-H, and other key health agencies, is accepting written testimony through April 16.
The House Agriculture Subcommittee, which funds FDA, is accepting written testimony through May 1 at 5 p.m. ET. Be sure to review each panel’s specific guidance and deadlines carefully, and consult Research!America’s written testimony primer for tips on crafting an effective submission.
Sign-on Letters: The Friends of the VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA) is seeking your organization’s help in obtaining at least $1.2 billion in funding for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research Program, along with $255 million to enhance and modernize the VA’s research infrastructure and capacity. They are asking for your organization to sign on to this letter by March 13.
Speaking of sign-on letters, the deadline to join a sign-on letter in support of a $200 million increase in the ARPA-H budget, in a manner that supplements, rather than supplants, other NIH funding has been extended to March 11. Organizations can sign on here.
Now about FY26: We’ve been talking about FY27, but it appears that we can’t close the book on FY26 appropriations just yet. As of this writing, we are watching to make sure the funds appropriated for federal research agencies are actually released and used as Congress intended. We’re also watching discussions around “impoundment,” which refers to a situation where the administration delays or declines to spend money that Congress has already approved. Stay tuned for developments; meanwhile, here is a guide from the Bipartisan Policy Center explaining budget impoundments and apportionments.
Member-only Meeting: Speaking of appropriations, if you are with an alliance member organization, please join a special Zoom meeting on Thursday, March 12, at noon ET featuring Catherine Knowles (Senate majority staff) and Emily Goff (House majority staff), both professional staff members on the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education & Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittees. Catherine and Emily will provide an update on the FY27 appropriations process, with a particular focus on NIH funding. If you are with a member organization, please email Jacqueline Lagoy for the Zoom link.
Defeating Alzheimer’s Disease: With an estimated 7.2 million Americans facing Alzheimer’s disease, the race for a cure has never been more urgent. Join us on Thursday, March 19, from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. ET, for a breakfast briefing on Capitol Hill. The briefing will look at progress against Alzheimer’s disease and explore the urgent need for innovative partnerships and policies to overcome scientific and clinical challenges. Learn more and register here.
Advocacy Awards Final Countdown: In just a few days, we will host our 30th annual Advocacy Awards event at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. Join us on Tuesday, March 10, 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. ETto celebrate this year’s honorees and hear their thoughts on leadership and public engagement during two dynamic panel discussions. This is a free and very popular event, so please be sure to register here to reserve your spot. Registration closes tomorrow morning, March 6.
Support Our Advocacy Work: Your support is critical for our advocacy efforts. Research!America is working every day to ensure our nation’s discovery, development, and innovation ecosystem not only survives, but thrives. Your support is crucial to ensuring that medical and public health progress remain a national priority. Donate now.