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Help Us Avoid Drastic Cuts to Research!

Letter to members of Congress urging them to find a balanced approach to avoiding sequester, and avoiding further non-defense discretionary spending cuts.

Subject:

Your Letter:

As a member of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and an investigator supporting America’s biomedical research enterprise, I am deeply concerned about the devastating cuts to biomedical research that would result from the impending sequester. The medical advances over the past 50 years were possible due to strong and sustained federal investments in basic biomedical research. As National Institutes of Health Director, Dr. Francis Collins, reported to Congress earlier this year, sequestration would likely mean a reduction in funding of $2.5 billion, and a loss of nearly 2,100 research grants for scientists to identify the underlying mechanisms of many debilitating and life-threatening diseases. Without this funding for basic research, we will not be able to pursue breakthrough treatments for Americans suffering from ailments, such as heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease.

A dramatic reduction in federal support for biomedical research will permanently damage the nation’s biomedical research enterprise, while having a minimal effect on our nation’s debt and deficit. The NIH, National Science Foundation and other funders support basic research at academic institutions and drive economic development across the nation. The threat of sequestration comes at a time when our biggest competitors globally are increasing their investments in research. China has committed to investing twice as many dollars as the United States in biomedical research over the next five-years. Singapore, India, and Germany are also on pace to greatly out-invest the U.S. Thus, cuts to basic biomedical research funding will affect the entire country and threaten America’s role as the global leader in biomedical research.

These cuts will mean lost jobs (as many as 33,000 scientists out of work), longer waits for cures, and fewer scientists willing to tackle the health issues of the future, in addition to turning the next generation of scientists away from this rewarding career path. We must work to avoid these proposed cuts through a balanced approach to deficit reduction, which should include spending cuts and identification of new revenues. Considering that non-defense discretionary funding has already been cut by more than one trillion dollars in FY12, further cuts to research funding should only be considered as a last resort.

If you have any questions, or would like data specific to your constituents, please do not hesitate to contact Benjamin Corb, ASBMB’s Director of Public Affairs via email at bcorb@asbmb.org, or via telephone at 240.283.6625.

Thank you, in advance, for your consideration.

Respectfully,

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ASBMB History

VIDEO: John Abel
Lecture, 1930

ASBMB Centennial Videos

Herbert Tabor

Mildred Cohn

Arthur Kornberg

Help Us Avoid Drastic Cuts to Research!

Member Login

Username

Password

Not a Member?

ASBMB HistoryVIDEO: John AbelLecture, 1930

ASBMB Centennial Videos

Herbert Tabor

Mildred Cohn

Arthur Kornberg

Help Us Avoid Drastic Cuts to Research!

ASBMB History

VIDEO: John Abel
Lecture, 1930