AAU President Robert Berdahl thanks the President for his leadership and efforts to sustain strong federal investments in scientific research and student aid, particularly in maintaining the Pell Grant maximum award, in the final FY11 spending measure.

 A group of 138 associations, institutions, and patient groups, including AAU, sent a letter to congressional appropriations leaders on April 4 opposing statutory mandates on the number and size of grants made by the National Institutes of Health.  The restrictions have been included in the House-passed FY11 continuing resolution (H.R. 1). 

THE AD HOC GROUP FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH March 7, 2011 Dear Senator: The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research, which represents nearly 300 patient groups, scientific and medical societies, research institutions and industry organizations, respectfully urges you to oppose H.R. 1, which would decrease funding for the National

 Dear Chairman Conrad and Spratt and Ranking Members Gregg and Ryan: We, the undersigned of Health (NIH), and ask you to craft a budget resolution that accommodates the Presidents' $32.2 billion FY 2011 NIH budget request.

Dear Chairman Obey and Ranking Member Tiahrt: As Members of Congress who strongly value the role of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), we are writing to thank you for your past support and to respectfully request your continued support for NIH funding, which is essential to sustain advances in science and the economic impacts of the research it funds. As you work to finalize the Fiscal Year 2011 appropriations bills, we respectfully request a funding increase of at least 7 percent for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) compared to the Fiscal Year 2010 Baseline level.

AAU and its member research universities commend President Obama for his FY11 request of a 3.2%, or $1 billion, increase for NIH, and pledge to work with Congress and the Administration to secure at least this level of funding. Biomedical research funded by NIH and performed at AAU member universities helps assure U.S. leadership in the life sciences revolution of the 21st century. The proposed added investment in FY11 will enable research universities to pursue scientific opportunity, advance public health, and create jobs and economic growth.