2026 Rally for Medical Research
Dear CUIMC Colleagues,
We invite you to participate in the 2026 Rally for Medical Research alongside fellow supporters from Columbia University and around the country. On Thursday, Sept. 17, a broad coalition of medical research advocates will gather in Washington, D.C. to urge Congress to provide robust, sustainable, and predictable increases in funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year 2027 and beyond.
Last year, the President’s original budget request called for a 40% reduction to the NIH budget. Advocates from across the country came together to fight these cuts, resulting in Congress approving a 1% increase in the NIH budget.
This year, the President’s budget request calls for a 12% cut to NIH funding. The 2026 rally is an opportunity for our community to stress the importance of and advocate for biomedical research.
As a Rally participant, you will team up with other advocates from New York and elsewhere to meet with members of Congress and key staff. Rally organizers will coordinate teams and schedule meetings. To participate, please register by Sept. 9. When filling out the form, please use the address where you are registered to vote. People registered to vote in areas outside of Manhattan are particularly welcome to participate.
Attendees are also invited to additional events in Washington, D.C., including a training session and a reception for advocates on the day before the rally (Sept. 16) and a kickoff breakfast on the day of the rally. Activities will end early enough for participants to return to the New York City area on the evening of Sept. 17.
There is no registration cost to participate in the Rally for Medical Research Hill Day. Participants are responsible for arranging and paying for their travel; however, we are able to offer a $250 stipend to a limited number of participants to cover part of those costs. If you are interested in the stipend, please contact us directly after signing up for the event. Please note that participation in the rally could be considered lobbying and that use of government grant funds to pay for any costs associated with this event is strictly prohibited.
For CUIMC staff, prior approval from your manager to be out of the office is required. Once you have management approval, please reach out to CUIMC HR for guidance on how to record this absence.
At last year’s rally, there were more participants from Columbia than any other institution. This year, let us once again raise our collective voice in support of the NIH. Please sign up soon as you can. If you have any questions or need additional information, please feel free to reach out to either of us.
Thank you,
Ross A. Frommer
Vice President for Government Affairs
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Jatin Vyas, MD, PhD
Director, Physician Scientist Programs at the Vagelos Institute
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
Jatin Vyas, MD, PhD
Director, Physician Scientist Programs at the Vagelos Institute
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons