The following is a letter from 293 national organizations writing to express support for the work of the Joint Associations Group on Indirect Costs (JAG)'s effort to develop a new, more transparent model to support the essential costs of research.
Dear Chair Cole, Ranking Member DeLauro, Chair Collins, and Vice Chair Murray:
The 293 undersigned national organizations write to express our support for the work of the Joint Associations Group on Indirect Costs (JAG)’s effort to develop a new, more transparent model for ensuring that institutions’ essential research costs are adequately supported. We also express appreciation for language supporting the JAG effort included in some of the FY 2026 annual appropriations bills and accompanying reports and ask that your committees continue to include and strengthen language in the final spending bills supporting the JAG work and prohibiting the Office of Management and Budget from instituting arbitrary caps on costs essential to conducting high quality scientific research.
The federal government’s investment in research leads to cures, transformative technologies, and new industries that save lives, improve Americans’ health, create new jobs, and help ensure national security. Expenses like physical lab operation and maintenance, utility costs, security, data processing, regulatory compliance, and other needs (currently collectively known as “indirect costs” or “facilities and administrative” or “F&A” support) are essential to conduct research and inseparable from support for research itself. Efforts to cut support for these essential research costs undoubtedly would lead to less research in the U.S., undermining our global leadership in science and ultimately reducing the number of American-made scientific and technological driven innovations resulting from federally funded research.
We believe that the recommendations put forward by the JAG would enhance transparency and accountability associated with federally funded research without undermining overall support critical to American science. Informed by experts from within, across, and beyond the research community and designed to accommodate institutions of all types and sizes, the JAG’s proposed Financial Accountability In Research (FAIR) model is a new approach to supporting essential research costs. While granular details of the model will need to continue to be refined through its implementation process, we believe the core of the model addresses the themes that lawmakers and policymakers have prioritized while also ensuring American leadership in science and innovation continues.
We ask lawmakers to support the work that has been done by the JAG by:
- Including appropriations bill language supporting the work of the JAG and the development and implementation of the FAIR model by the executive branch;
- Blocking any federal agency or OMB action to cap or otherwise change existing negotiated F&A rates until they have worked with the stakeholder community to develop a clear plan for implementation of a new system based on the FAIR model framework;
- Ensuring at least a two-year transition period for agencies and institutions to make the necessary changes to an alternative model; and
- Preserving continued support for F&A expenses at existing levels until the new model is fully implemented.
These key elements, in addition to other relevant adjustments to research agency budget caps and related policies, will be essential to ensure the success of any new model for supporting research across the nation. We urge Congress to ensure that the legislative process affords these protections to ensure that the nation’s research enterprise continues to thrive. Thank you, and please contact Tannaz Rasouli ([email protected]) at the Association of American Medical Colleges with any questions.
Sincerely, 293 organizations as of November 21, 2025 AACTE:
AACTE: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
Academic Data Science Alliance
Academic Pediatric Association
Academy for Radiology and Biomedical Imaging Research
Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research
ACPA-College Student Educators Internation
ACT for NIH
Akari Foundation
AliveandKick'n
Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine (AAIM) Alliance for Aging Research
Alliance of Dedicated Cancer Centers
ALS Association
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology
American Academy of Emergency Medicine
American Academy of Neurology
American Academy of Nursing
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Association for Dental, Oral, and Craniofacial Research
American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus
American Association for the Advancement of Science
American Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry (AACDP)
American Association of Colleges of Nursing
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy
American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers
American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training
American Association of Neuromuscular & Electrodiagnostic Medicine
American Association of Physicists in Medicine
American Association of Physics Teachers
American Association of State Colleges and Universities
American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges
American Brain Coalition
American Brain Tumor Association
American Chemical Society
American College of Academic Addiction Medicine
American College of Clinical Pharmacology
American College of Neuropsychopharmacology
American College of Osteopathic Internists
American College of Physicians
American College of Radiology
American Council of Learned Societies
American Gastroenterological Association
American Geosciences Institute
American Geriatrics Society
American Indian Higher Education Consortium
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Mathematical Society
American Neurological Association
American Pediatric Society (APS)
American Physical Society
American Physiological Society
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association Services
American Roentgen Ray Society
American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy
American Society for Investigative Pathology
American Society for Microbiology
American Society for Radiation Oncology
American Society for Reproductive Medicine
American Society of Biomechanics
American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology (ASCP)
American Society of Echocardiography
American Society of Human Genetics
American Society of Naturalists
American Society of Nephrology
American Society of Plant Biologists
American Society of Transplant Surgeons
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
American Statistical Association
American Surgical Association
American Thoracic Society
Americans for Medical Progress
Angelman Syndrome Foundation
Arachnoiditis & Chronic Meningitis Collaborative Research Network (ACMCRN)
ARPKD/CHF Alliance Association for Academic Pathology (AAPath)
Association for Creatine Deficiencies
Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration
Association for Institutional Research
Association for Psychological Science
Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI)
Association for Women in Science
Association of Academic Chairs of Emergency Medicine
Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries
Association of Academic Leaders of Neurology, formerly Association of University Professors of Neurology
Association of Academic Physiatrists
Association of American Physicians
Association of Bioethics Program Directors
Association of Departments of Family Medicine
Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors
Association of Governing Boards
Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
Association of Medical School Pediatric Department Chairs
Association of Population Centers
Association of Professors of Dermatology
Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics
Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers
Association of Research Libraries
Association of Schools and Colleges of Optometry
Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC)
Association of University Professors of Ophthalmology
Barth Syndrome Foundation
Bay Area Science and Infrastructure Consortium (BASIC)
BDSRA Foundation
Beth Israel Lahey Health
Biophysical Society
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston Medical Center Health System
Canavan Foundation
Cancer and Careers
Carnegie Institution for Science
Center for Endometriosis Care
Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance
Children’s Hospital Association
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Chris "CJ" Johnson Foundation Inc
Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Coalition for Pediatric Medical Research
Coalition to Cure CHD2
College and University Professional Association for Human Resources
Columbia University
Computing Research Association
Consortium of Social Science Associations
Cooley's Anemia Foundation
COPD Foundation
Council for Advancement and Support of Education
Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
Council of Graduate Schools
Council of Pediatric Subspecialties
Council on Social Work Education
CURE Epilepsy
Cures Within Reach
CureSHANK
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Dravet Syndrome Foundation
Dysautonomia International
ECAN Esophageal Cancer Action Network
EDUCAUSE
Entomological Society of America
Epilepsy Foundation of America
EPSCoR/IDeA Coalition
EPSCoR/IDeA Foundation
EveryLife Foundation for Rare Diseases
Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB)
Federation of Associations in Behavioral and Brain Sciences
FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
Foundation for Prader-Willi Research
Foundation for Sarcoidosis Research
Friedreich's Ataxia Research Alliance (FARA)
Genetic Alliance
Gerontological Society of America
Good Days
Harvard University
HCU Network America
HealthyWomen
Helminthological Society of Washington
Hermansky-Pudlak Syndrome Network
Herpetologists' League
Hope for HIE
Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
Hydrocephalus Association
IITC Inc./Life Science
Indiana University
Infectious Diseases Society of America
International Bipolar Foundation
International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD)
International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation
International Society for Stem Cell Research
Johns Hopkins University & Medicine
Kidney Cancer Association
LEAD Coalition (Leaders Engaged on Alzheimer’s Disease)
Lehigh University
Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS) Foundation
Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.
Marymount University
Mass General Brigham
M-CM Network
Medical College of Wisconsin
Memorial Sloan Kettering
Men's Health Network
Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation
METAvivor
Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society
Mission MSA
Mississippi Metabolics Foundation
MitoAction
MKGenetix
Moebius Syndrome Foundation
Monica Weldon Consulting, LLC
Muscular Dystrophy Association
Myasthenia Gravis Association
NAPCRG
NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education
National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research
National Association for Biomedical Research (NABR)
National Association for College Admission Counseling
National Association For Continence
National Council of University Research Administrators
National Health Council
National Kidney Foundation
National Multiple Sclerosis Society
Nemours Children's Health
New Jersey Association for Biomedical Research
No Stomach For Cancer
Noah's Hope - Hope4Bridet Foundation
North American Neuroendocrine Tumor Society (NANETS)
North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition
North American Vascular Biology Organization
Northwestern University
NW Association for Biomedical Research
NW Rare Disease Coalition
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy
Patient-Led Research Collaborative
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Pediatric Policy Council
Pennyslvania Society for Biomedical Research
Phelan-McDermid Syndrome Foundation
Phi Beta Kappa Society
PKD Foundation
Population Association of America
PSC Partners Seeking a Cure
Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation
PXE International
Radiological Society of North America
RUNX1 Research Program
Rush University System for Health
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute
Sharsheret: The Jewish Breast & Ovarian Cancer Community
Shock Society
Sjogren's Foundation
Social Affective Neuroscience Society (SANS)
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM)
Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine
Society for Investigative Dermatology
Society for Neuroscience
Society for Pediatric Radiology
Society for Pediatric Research (SPR)
Society for Research in Child Development (SRCD)
Society for Social Work and Research
Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society of Behavioral Medicine
Society of Chairs of Academic Radiology Departments
Society of Clinical Psychology, Division 12 of APA
Society of Directors of Research in Medical Education
Society of General Internal Medicine
Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
Society of Teachers of Family Medicine
Society of University Surgeons
SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics
STM (the International Association of Scientific, Technical, and Medical Publishers)
Stony Brook Medicine
Teaching Kitchen Collaborative
The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA)
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
The George Washington University
The Judy Nicholson Foundation
The Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation
The Marfan Foundation
The National Pancreas Foundation
The Obesity Society
The STARR Coalition
TMCF
TSC Alliance
Tufts Medicine
Tulane University
UC San Diego
UCI Health
UCLA
United for Medical Research
University at Buffalo
University of California System
University of California, San Francisco
University of Minnesota
University of Mississippi Medical Center
University of Pennsylvania
University of Rochester
University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
UPCEA - The Online and Professional Education Association
Usher 1F Collaborative
Usher Syndrome Coalition
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
v-ATPase Alliance
VHL Alliance
Vision Sciences Society
wAIHA Warriors
Washington University in St. Louis
Wiley Wilson Disease Association
Yale University