Behind the Budget: USASP Members Speak Up for NIH and Pain Research

The federal process is currently underway to determine the Fiscal Year 2026 budget for all federal agencies, including the NIH.  If you’ve been wondering where things stand with NIH funding for FY 2026, how the federal appropriations process works, and how USASP members are getting involved, the following is a brief summary.

A little background: FY 2026 Budget Process

1. The President’s Budget Request was released by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) in early May. Read more here

   • In short, the FY 2026 President’s Budget included 

     • A 40% reduction in the NIH budget ($27.9 billion). 

     • Elimination of four NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) (e.g., NCCIH, NIMHD) and reorganization of the remainder, for example, combining NINDS, NIDCR, and NEI to form the National Institute of Neuroscience and Brain Research. 

     • An indirect cost cap of 15% 

2. On June 10, NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya testified before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee to present the NIH’s FY 2026 budget request of $27.9 billion. In short, Dr. Bhattacharya emphasized the importance of restoring public trust in science and advancing community-informed research. The $27.9 billion FY26 budget request prioritizes the prevention of chronic diseases, autism research, academic freedom, and the ethical use of AI in biomedical science. His call for transparency, innovation, and respectful scientific discourse underscores the importance of continued advocacy for robust NIH funding. Watch here

3. Congress passes a budget resolution, which sets overall spending caps for the year. 

   • The House and Senate Appropriations Committees divide those caps among 12 subcommittees. The budget for NIH is handled by the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) subcommittee in both chambers.

     • Each subcommittee writes a detailed appropriations bill, which goes through:

       1. Markup sessions (where the appropriations bill is amended),

       2. Full committee approval 

       3. Floor votes in the House and Senate.

4. Funding discrepancies between the House and Senate versions are negotiated between the chambers to produce a final bill, which is then sent to the President for signature into law. If they cannot agree and the bill is NOT passed by September 30, Congress may enact a Continuing Resolution (CR), avoiding a government shutdown. If not, funding lapses and agencies, such as the NIH, face major disruptions.

   
   

Where We Are Now & USASP’s Response 

Currently, the House and Senate LHHS appropriations subcommittees are drafting their versions of the FY26 bill, which are expected to be marked up in late July or early September following the Congressional August recess. This is the most critical window for advocacy because it’s when funding decisions are being made. 

This Spring, immediately following the 2025 USASP Meeting in Chicago, the USASP, US Pain Foundation, Chronic Pain Research Alliance (CPRA), and National Pain Advocacy Center (NPAC) formed a coalition, a Call-to-Action (CTA) committee, to advocate for NIH funding and the importance of pain research to members of Congress. In early June, the CTA committee organized a webinar, “Pain Research in Peril: Why Your Voice Matters & What You Can Do Now." [Watch Here] This is the first time USASP, as a young organization, has participated in an advocacy campaign. The purpose of this event was to educate researchers on the federal appropriations process and to request participation in a series of Virtual Capitol Hill visits with members of Congress who serve on key committees involved in the appropriations process. 

At the same time, USASP led a joint letter signed by 60 organizations urging Congress to protect NIH’s pain research funding and sustain the HEAL Initiative comparable to FY 2025. The letter emphasized the urgent need for continued investment given proposed budget cuts and indirect cost caps, highlighting the widespread impact of chronic pain and the importance of preserving research infrastructure. The CTA also created a one-pager to share with members and staff of Congress, conveying the main messages and key asks from the pain research community. 

Policy experts and people with lived experience of pain from the CPRA, NPAC, US Pain Foundation and pain researchers from USASP joined to conduct a series of upwards of 20 meetings with members of Congress in both the House and Senate. They highlighted key national statistics on chronic pain and NIH pain research, as well as the advances made in recent years. Additionally, they discussed the challenges faced by pain researchers across the US and in specific states as a result of recent NIH changes, and how NIH research funding drives innovation and supports early-career investigators. People with lived experience of pain shared their personal stories, highlighting why NIH research is so critical to creating a better future for themselves and millions of others. With the ultimate goal of improving the lives of people living with pain through the advancement of research, the meeting request to Congress was to protect the critical NIH pain research budget and HEAL Initiative earmark in FY26, as well as preserve the necessary NIH infrastructure to advance and coordinate pain research across NIH and HHS.  

We want to extend a huge thank you to everyone who has participated and helped us advocate for continued robust NIH pain research funding. 

When asked, “Would you recommend virtual advocacy to others?” Erin Young, PhD, at the University of Kansas Medical Center shared: 

“Absolutely! It’s nerve-wracking and feels like something that ‘someone more qualified’ should be doing, but all USASP members are qualified experts with a powerful message to deliver. Congressional offices are tuned in to what is happening in their states and affecting their constituents, so use that leverage to get your message out.”

What’s Coming Next 

Between now and mid-September, both the House and Senate Labor-HHS Subcommittees will release their markup bills for FY 2026. Once those drafts are released, we’ll have a clearer understanding of the funding levels proposed for NIH. When that happens, we may need to mobilize fast. The following are some potential actions we may call on you to help us.

1. We need additional participants for a last-minute virtual Hill visit,

2. We launch a letter campaign to target specific legislators,

3. Or we need members to share stories or amplify key messages on social media within a short timeframe.

   
   

Why This Matters

If you’ve ever wondered whether your voice can make a difference in the halls of Congress, the answer is yes. When policymakers hear directly from researchers and clinicians, especially in partnership with people living with pain, with the same message, it personalizes the data. It reminds them what this funding is for and who is potentially impacted. 

Whether you're new to advocacy or a seasoned professional, there's a place for you in this effort.

Because science speaks loudest when we speak together.