Federal Funding for ME/CFS Update - Nov 10, 2019

[Apologies for the delay everyone - here's the updates from last week. We now know that the budget decisions will be delayed until December 20th]

Reporting Back from Capitol Hill


Solve M.E. Board member Carol Head and I (Emily Taylor) just returned from Washington D.C., where we tackled another successful round of Capitol Hill meetings. You’ve probably already heard about the budget delays and we tried to find real answers about what this means for ME/CFS

What you Need to Know:

  • It is very likely that federal budget decisions will be postponed until December or later.
  • Senate budget team remains strongly supportive to adding ME/CFS to Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMRP).
  • New opportunities may have opened for ME/CFS NIH funding!
  • If the combined Senate and House bills pass, ME/CFS researchers could apply for up to $360 million in new defense research funding in FY20.
  • You can help by thanking our supporters or doubling your gift today!

“Playing politics” with ME/CFS funding

One of the most powerful things we learned last week was that budget decision makers favorably received our requests for increased ME/CFS funding. Unfortunately, larger political battles around party issues have significantly hindered typical funding decisions made by Congress.

The result is that ME/CFS (and many other small programs as well) will not see direct funding increases, but new opportunities may have opened for ME/CFS funding at the NIH! We’ll share more information as soon as we can.

Senate Commitment Remains Strong

The Senate Appropriations Committee leadership remains strongly committed to including full funding of the PRMRP at $350 million and including ME/CFS as an eligible topic area for this program.

Solve M.E. has been invited to coordinate between U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command and researchers in order to best support our ME/CFS scientists in the grant application process. If the combined Senate and House bills pass, ME/CFS researchers could apply for up to $360 million in new defense research funding in FY 20.

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Continuing Resolutions Stop Progress! #CRsStopProgress

Right now,
the biggest threat to our advocacy work is a “Continuing Resolution,” also known as a CR. This is what happens when Congress is unable to pass a budget and doesn’t want to shut down the government.

A CR is like hitting the “repeat” button on the previous fiscal year, meaning we’re stuck for another year in the same ol’ song and ME/CFS research is stuck without new opportunities. People with #MECFS have waited long enough and we cannot sit around for another year while Congress plays party politics.

Solve M.E. is joining with over 400 other science and research organizations in calling for Congressional leadership to #FUNDSCIENCE! You can join too on social media using #CRsStopProgress #FundScience or visit the coalition action page here.

What you can do to help!


  1. Say “THANK YOU” to our Congressional funding request supporters so they will continue to support our requests during this budget delay. These “thank you” letters were powerful tools when we met with our supporters!
  2. Join us for ME/CFS ADVOCACY DAY in Washington D.C. from April 20-22.
  3. Join our Double-Your-Impact Challenge: We’ve secured $750,000 in gifts from several caring and generous donors who wish to remain anonymous. Their gifts will double the impact of your money when you give any amount to help us meet our $1.5M fundraising goal by December 31st!
 

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