Whatever the reason, you are not alone. More than two-thirds of Americans consider medical research a high priority. Yet government funding that supports the majority of this research is on the decline. Total federal support for basic research has steadily decreased in proportional terms over the last decade, from 1.11% of the federal budget in 2005 to just 0.82% in 2014.
So what can we do about it? In this election year, CSHL has partnered with Research!America and other organizations across the country to find out where candidates stand on research funding. The campaign, called “Ask Your Candidates!” (AYC), is a bipartisan effort to engage our elected officials on the importance of research. The goal is to empower voters to make an informed decision on Election Day.
The election is only five days away so now is the time to start a dialogue—tell candidates why research for medical progress is important to you, and ask them where they stand. You can find all the resources you need on the AYC website—instructions for sending an email to your local candidates or sending them a category-specific tweet (hashtag #AYCresearch). On Election Day, vote for the candidate who best reflects your priorities. If we don’t speak up about the importance of medical progress, our nation could pay a heavy price.