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The Honorable Shelley Moore Capito Chair Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Washington, D.C. 20510	The Honorable Robert Aderholt Chair Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Washington, D.C. 20515
The Honorable Tammy Baldwin Ranking Member Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies U.S. Senate Committee on Appropriations Washington, D.C. 20510	The Honorable Rosa DeLauro Ranking Member Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies U.S. House Committee on Appropriations Washington, D.C. 20510

Dear Chairs Capito and Aderholdt and Ranking Members Baldwin and DeLauro,

We, the 56 undersigned organizations representing public health, patients and biomedical researchers request at least $7.29 billion for the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and at least $51.303 billion for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) overall for fiscal year (FY) 2026, representing a 9% increase over FY2025 levels. This funding is critical to ensure that the nation can respond to current and future disease threats.

NIAID plays an essential role in addressing influenza, asthma, cancer, HIV/AIDS, sepsis, deadly allergic reactions, immunodeficiencies, autoimmune disorders, tuberculosis, malaria and other vector-borne diseases, neglected diseases, lupus and so much more. With a unique mandate to better understand, treat and prevent infectious, immunologic and allergic diseases, NIAID has consistently forged paths to improve health and save lives. NIAID’s cutting-edge research and network of scientists are eliminating some of the world’s most serious health threats, as well as addressing risks to national security and public health, including antimicrobial resistance (AMR). NIAID researchers also uncover the links between infectious diseases and chronic conditions, which can be triggered by an infection; these discoveries lead to the development of countermeasures to protect individuals with chronic illnesses, who are more susceptible to infections. By staying at the forefront of research, NIAID-funded scientists and clinicians protect American lives and prevent instability that could impact U.S. economic and national interests. 

Thanks to long-term and sustained support from Congress for NIAID over the years, the U.S. has achieved major victories over deadly, disabling and costly diseases. These achievements include, but are not limited to: 

• NIAID-funded research spurred the development of the first vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This treatment will help to prevent an estimated 160,000 hospitalizations and 10,000 deaths of older adults in the U.S. and is projected to save up to $4 billion in health care costs.
• NIAID investments contributed to the development of Teplizumab, the first FDA-approved drug for delaying Type 1 diabetes (T1D) onset.  
• NIAID-funded research transformed HIV from a fatal to a chronic condition with the development of antiretroviral agents that suppress HIV to undetectable levels in the body—keeping people with HIV healthy and preventing HIV transmission. Further, protease inhibitors developed for treating HIV led to the development of direct-acting antivirals that cure hepatitis C.
• NIAID scientists developed new technologies to identify geographic hot spots for Aedes mosquitoes—a type of mosquito that can spread diseases such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. The tool is poised to deliver targeted interventions to fight dengue and other diseases in the U.S. and communities across the globe. 
• NIAID-funded research has identified treatment that substantially increases the amount of peanut, tree nuts, egg, milk and wheat that multi-food allergic children as young as 1 year could consume without potentially fatal allergic reaction, as research is ongoing in prevention of the development of food allergy in infancy. Currently 8% of children in the U.S. have a food allergy, or 2 in every classroom.
• NIAID is investigating treatments and countermeasures to address the threat of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI/H5N1). Recently, NIAID researchers pinpointed that a single dose of a broadly neutralizing antibody administered prior to virus exposure protects macaques from severe H5N1 avian influenza symptoms.
• A clinical trial funded through NIAID found that the monoclonal antibody mepolizumab reduced asthma attacks by more than 25% in children and adolescents with severe asthma. Asthma affects 1 in 13 Americans, including 20 million adults and over 5 million children.
• NIAID researchers discovered a new species of bacteria in the gut that may trigger rheumatoid arthritis (RA), offering new avenues for treatment and prevention. An estimated 50 million Americans suffer from 1 or more autoimmune diseases, including 1.3 million adults with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Tuberculosis (TB), particularly in its multi- and totally drug-resistant forms, is not only a lethal threat globally (killing 410,000 per year), but remains a threat to the American people. NIAID-funded research has led to breakthroughs in developing new TB treatments. 
• Each year, drug-resistant infections impact more than 3 million Americans, killing at least 50,000 people in the U.S. NIAID-funded research is essential to combating drug resistance and developing new medicines for drug-resistant infectious threats. It is projected that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) could become the leading cause of death globally by 2050 and cost the global economy $100 trillion. 

We strongly urge you and your colleagues to work together on FY2026 funding bills and to ensure strong funding for the life-saving work of NIAID so that American ingenuity can continue to forge a healthier, safer and more equitable world for all. Please reach out to Amalia Corby (acorby@asmusa.org) at the ºÚÁÏÕýÄÜÁ¿ if you have any questions.

Sincerely, 

AdvaMedDx
Alpha-gal Alliance Action Fund
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP)
American Association of Immunologists
American Association of Veterinary Medical Colleges
American Institute of Biological Sciences
American Mosquito Control Association
American Society for Clinical Pathology
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American Society for Virology
American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
American Thoracic Society
Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)
Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America
AVAC
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Co.)
Benaroya Research Institute
Boston University
Clear Labs
Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi), North America
Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation
Endocrine Society
Entomological Society of America
Gerontological Society of America
Global Health Technologies Coalition
HealthHIV
HIV Medicine Association 
HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute
Immune Deficiency Foundation
Infectious Disease Society of America
Latino Commission on AIDS
Lupus Research Alliance
Monell Chemical Senses Center
NASTAD
National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research 
National Coalition for LGBTQ Health
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases
New Jersey State Mosquito Control Commission
North American Vascular Biology Organization
Northeast Regional Center for Excellence in Vector-Borne Diseases
Northeastern Mosquito Control Association 
Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society
Peggy Lillis Foundation 
Sepsis Alliance
Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
Society for Vector Ecology
Society of Toxicology
TB Alliance
The American Society for Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics (ASHI)
The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)
The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston 
Treatment Action Group
Tufts University
University of Maryland, Baltimore
US Biologic, Inc.