Updates:

January 2026 -- We are happy to share that the U.S. House of Representatives passed, with strong bipartisan support, H.R. 7148, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2026, which includes the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (Labor–HHS) funding bill. The package also includes strong protections for the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) ecosystem, including the National Eye Institute (NEI), helping safeguard the U.S. research infrastructure while continuing to fuel discovery and therapeutic development.

This proposal reflects Congressional recognition of the importance of biomedical research, in particular vision research, highlighting its essentialness to public health, economic competitiveness, and global innovation leadership.

The bill provides approximately $48.7 billion for NIH in FY2026, an increase over FY2025, with no institutes eliminated or cut, including the NEI. The legislation explicitly protects negotiated indirect cost rates, preventing destabilizing changes that would undermine academic and nonprofit research capacity. Congress directs NIH to prioritize new, high-quality grants, reinforcing the pipeline from early discovery to clinical development that is critical for inherited retinal diseases and macular degeneration. The Advanced Research Project Agency for Health (ARPA-H) remains level-funded at $1.5 billion, with continued emphasis on high-risk, high-reward projects that complement NIH efforts.

While this is encouraging news, the process is not yet final. The package will move through the Senate for a vote within the next week and if it passes, then it goes to the White House for the President’s signature.

The Efficacy of Advocacy:

Thank you to our incredible community of advocates. Your voices, stories, and outreach to Congress truly matter. Because you showed up for vision research, funding for NIH and protections for the research ecosystem remain strong. Your advocacy helps keep sight-saving science moving forward.

Even in a positive funding environment, Congressional offices consistently tell us that constituent voices matter most. Continued engagement helps ensure that:
• NEI remains fully funded and independent.
• Vision research remains a national priority within NIH.
• Regulatory infrastructure at the FDA keeps pace with emerging therapies.

As congressional work continues, your voice reinforces the importance of sustained federal investment in vision research. You can help by:
• Reaching out to your Members of Congress to thank them for supporting biomedical research and urging them to maintain strong funding for NEI as the process concludes.
• Sharing your personal connection to vision loss and why federally funded research matters to you and  your family.

Progress like this does not happen by chance; it happens because advocates show up consistently and speak with clarity and purpose. Thank you for your continued engagement.

Jason Menzo, CEO Foundation Fighting Blindness