Go to https://www.usa.gov/elected-officials to learn find out how to contact your members of congress.

The type of fundamental research that builds knowledge, fuels innovation, and is essential to the economy requires the type of long-term, sustained funding that only the federal government can provide. Yet, the past decade of depressed science funding and the future cuts required by sequestration put a generation of innovation at risk.

Urge Congress to make funding for scientific research a national priority before it is too late by calling your representative or writing them a letter.

Explain who you are and how research affects you:

  • I am a student at [insert university] studying [insert subject] and I hope to pursue a career in…
  • I am an NSF/NIH/DOE/DOD/USDA-funded researcher who runs a lab that employs [number of people] and depend on federal funding to…
  • I work at [name of company] and our core technology is the result of federally funded research.  Federal research funding enabled us to start our company…
  • I am/my family is affected by [medical condition/disease] and funding for biomedical research is essential to…
  • I work in [industry] and I am worried that we are not keeping pace with other nations when it comes to investing in the research that will enable the United States to maintain its innovation edge…
  • My company supplies [product/technology] that enables researchers to […]. When funding slows so does our business, which employs [number of people].

Provide examples and a personal perspective that help illustrate your point, for instance:

  • Because of reduced funding, I am worried that I won’t be able to find a research position in a lab while I pursue my graduate work.
  • Many of my friends who thought they would enter research are now pursuing non-science careers.
  • I have already had to reduce the number of people in my lab and worry that I may have to make more cuts if my grant isn’t extended or is reduced.
  • Because of sequestration, I had to significantly scale back my research project, which diminishes its potential impact.
  • When other countries are investing in research and the United States stands still, I worry about the jobs of the future and where they will be.
  • Because of the federal research funding that supported our work [years/decades ago], we were able to create a company that today [what do you do] and employs [number of people]. We were lucky. As we face years of stalled research funding, the United States may miss out on a whole generation of new innovative companies.

Close by restating your reason for writing, for example:

  • I urge you to work with your colleagues in Congress to make federal funding for research a national priority. It is essential to [finding cures/creating jobs/growing the economy/reducing the deficit …].