Congress will spend the rest of the summer writing FY26 appropriations bills, including measures that fund important scientific research agencies, such as:

The administration’s proposed budget would slash some agencies’ annual funding by as much as 50%. If this happens, they won’t be able to pay for all of the research they need—that our nation needs.

At Cornell, more than 140 federally contracted research projects received stop-work orders. Others have simply not been paid. Even more progress and productivity will be lost, nationally and at Cornell, if agencies are forced to fund less research. The setbacks could take decades to overcome.

Please take these actions:

Call your congressional representatives as often as you can. Tell them to fund the agencies that sponsor scientific research. If they’ve expressed support for cutting science funding—or haven’t spoken out against it—your voice is especially crucial. Let them know you expect them to be on the side of America’s health, safety, and global competitiveness.

Ask friends and connections, especially in districts where lawmakers’ votes are uncertain, to follow your lead and contact their representatives.

Cornell research matters. Our scientists produce real, tangible benefits to the public and the planet.

The nation needs Cornell and other universities to do this work. Without it, scientific progress in the United States will slow dramatically, as will our nation’s progress on health, safety, security, and prosperity.

Federal research grants are not “gifts” or “free money.” The government identifies research priorities that are in the national interest. They request proposals to conduct this research, and scientists compete nationally to win the contracts. Cornell does not profit from the grants. In fact, the reimbursement agreements in these contracts don’t cover the full cost of doing the research.

Corporations simply cannot carry the burden of the necessary infrastructure, expertise, training, facilities, equipment, labor, and often decades-long lead times it takes to convert scientific insights into marketable products and solutions.