American Curiosity, Ingenuity, and Leadership
As we prepare to celebrate Independence Day, we can look back with pride at the storied history of science and technology in America, which predates the Declaration of Independence. From Benjamin Franklin’s electricity experiments to the airplane, the heart-lung machine, and the Polio vaccine, American curiosity, ingenuity, and leadership has only grown.
In 1876, the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition celebrated our nation’s first 100 years of independence with an emphasis on our spirit of discovery and innovation. American trailblazers displayed the latest developments, including the newly invented telephone and the largest steam engine ever built.
Will we be celebrating American leadership in science, technology, and medical progress next year, on the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence? With your advocacy, we can help keep national pride in our progress alive. With determination, we can improve lives through better health, a more secure future, and greater prosperity for all. Now, more than ever, your advocacy is crucial to assuring just that!
On the Hill: This week, Congress has been laser-focused on the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, a sweeping tax and spending budget reconciliation bill. After more than 24 hours of debate, the Senate narrowly passed it Tuesday by a 51–50 vote, with Vice President J.D. Vance casting the tie-breaking vote. The bill is now in the hands of the House, which — at the time of this writing — must either approve the Senate-passed version or make changes that would require further negotiation between the chambers. Final legislation will be sent to the president for his signature.
If, as expected, some version of this legislation is signed into law this week, Congressional attention will shift back to the appropriations process. (As a reminder, appropriations determine how much funding NIH, NSF, and other agencies receive each year, and are largely separate from the budget reconciliation process, which is used for broader changes to federal spending or taxes. See this explainer for an overview.)
The House Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) Subcommittee was originally scheduled to mark up its FY26 appropriations bill on Monday, July 7, but it appears that it has been postponed. The House Labor-HHS Appropriations Subcommittee markup, which includes NIH funding, remains tentatively scheduled for July 21, though the House markup calendar continues to shift.
The Senate Appropriations Committee is currently scheduled to mark up the Commerce, Justice, Science (which includes NSF) and Agriculture (which includes FDA) appropriations bills on Thursday, July 10. The full committee markup for the Labor, Health and Human Services bill (which includes NIH) is currently set for Thursday, Aug. 1. We’ll continue to monitor and share advocacy opportunities as the schedule evolves.
What Will Become of the U.S. Bioeconomy? The House recently formed the bipartisan BIOTech Caucus, which will work to advance policies that bolster U.S. biotech and the domestic bioeconomy. Many of the goals the caucus seeks to promote are set out in the Vision for American Science & Technology. Learn more about the BIOTech Caucus here, and use this editable email to encourage your representative to join.
FDA Advisory Committee Nominations: The Food and Drug Administration is seeking nominations for appointments to 18 existing committees, including their Science Board Advisory Committee. Other committees seeking nominations include those focused on vaccines, antimicrobial drugs, pharmaceutical science, drug safety, and more. Criteria for committee members are available here. Nominations are due by Monday, July 28.
Public Engagement Skills: Last week, I mentioned informational tools like PopHIVE and SCIMaP. These are terrific resources to help inform your advocacy; they provide a wealth of data points that can be used when engaging with policymakers and the public. Research!America has long championed the need for scientists to learn how to engage effectively with non-scientists, and Boston University’s brand new online graduate certificate in civic science communication is a great example of this type of training. Check out other opportunities through our Public Engagement Dashboard and read our recommendations.
Upcoming Alliance Discussion: Join us on Tuesday, July 8, at noon ET for an interactive discussion spotlighting the All of Us Research Program and its work to combat diabetes and other chronic conditions. Across the country, volunteers have helped power research that is breaking new ground against some of our nation’s most prevalent health threats. Hear directly from leaders advancing this work. This Alliance Discussion is open to all. Register here.
Save the Date: If you are with a Research!America alliance organization, join us on Tuesday, July 15, at noon ET for a member-only meeting via Zoom. We’ll talk to Cheryl Jaeger of Crossroads Strategies about the current policy and funding landscape. For Zoom registration, please email Jacqueline Lagoy. This meeting is not open to the press or organizations outside the Research!America alliance.
Nominate A Champion: Who will be our 2026 Research!America Advocacy Awardees? The Advocacy Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose commitment to advocacy for research and innovation has advanced medical, public health, and scientific progress in profoundly important ways. Take a look at the award descriptions and submit your nominations now. The deadline is Thursday, July 31, so don’t delay!
Great Americans: The Carnegie Corporation of New York recently announced its 2025 Class of Great Immigrants, Great Americans, recognizing 20 distinguished naturalized American citizens whose contributions have enriched our society and helped to strengthen our democracy. Former NIH director and Research!America board member, Dr. Elias Zerhouni, was honored among the 2006 Great Immigrants.
Independence Day: As we approach Independence Day — a moment to reflect on the ideals that define our nation — I offer Research!America’s sincere thank you to federal workers across the country. So many of America’s greatest successes in science, public health, and innovation have been made possible by the dedication of government employees. Their commitment to public service upholds the very principles we celebrate on July 4: freedom, progress, and the common good. Thank you for advancing the strength and well-being of our nation.