All Society for Neuroscience Advocacy Network Members:

SfN is pleased to report that the House Appropriations Committee released a draft economic recovery bill that includes $3.9 billion for NIH and $3 billion for NSF. The biomedical research community applauds this great first step toward bold and visionary funding and continues to focus on $10 billion for NIH.

SfN is 50 percent of the way to its advocacy participation goal! Congress still needs to hear from thousands of scientists that NIH research can strengthen the national economy now while benefiting our nation’s long-term health and competitiveness. If you already have contacted your legislators, thank you! If you have not, please use the online SfN Legislative Action Center to send an e-mail to your legislators urging support for a bold investment in science and call upon your colleagues, students and post-docs to do the same.

As the Senate has not yet scheduled activity on its version of the bill, there is opportunity to advocate for an even stronger investment in NIH research. Sources report that Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) plans to offer an amendment to include $10 billion for NIH in the bill, and SfN will issue another alert to all U.S. SfN members at that time to build support for this measure.

Also, thank you for contacting your Representatives this week to support the Bilbray-Davis letter. SfN has learned that the letter was instrumental in securing additional funds for NIH in the House draft bill. Your efforts were essential to promoting this letter and building support for NIH on Capitol Hill!

I guess calling my Congressman (Steve Cohen, TN (D)) really might have made a difference!