Advocacy doesn’t shut down.

Even as the government remains shut down and the spending bill that funds our nation’s scientific agencies is stalled, congressional offices are open—and they’re still taking calls.

Now is the moment to remind Congress that research matters.

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES

Progress can’t stop for Washington.

Scientific research must keep moving forward. Families are waiting for cures and treatments. Economies are counting on next-generation innovations and opportunities.

In his October 2025 State of the University address, President Michael I. Kotlikoff said:

“Research isn’t like a light switch that you can flip off and back on; if work stops, cell lines die, samples degrade, experiments are aborted, data is lost … the harm becomes irreparable.”

Federal payments are still on hold.

Federal funding isn’t a gift. It’s contracted work. Terminated grants, stop-work orders, and unpaid bills now add up to nearly $250 million, and Cornell continues to shoulder some of these growing costs.

As President Kotlikoff reminded us, this is a time not just to reflect, but to act—for Cornell, for universities, and for the future we’re building together:

“For every new problem that humanity faces across our complex and increasingly interconnected world—our universities provide us with the capacity to tackle them. These are the better things that our universities bring to our beloved country. And now is the time to stand up for all of them. Because Cornell matters—to us, and to our nation.”

There are more ways to help.

Private support bridges the gap, sustaining Cornell’s most vital work when policy delays or funding pauses threaten momentum. You can make a gift to:


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