June 3, 2025—The Society for Women’s Health Research issued the following statement in response to the release of President Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2026.
The Society for Women’s Health Research (SWHR) strongly opposes the severe spending cuts to the nation’s health research and public health entities proposed in the administration’s fiscal year 2026 budget request. These cuts, if enacted, would jeopardize critical progress in medical research and stymie public health, harming not only women—who have long faced disparities in care due to decades of being overlooked in medical research—but also the broader population.
Federal research has a proven return on investment, yielding $2.56 for every $1 invested. It drives economic growth in states across the country, bolsters America’s standing as a global leader in biomedical research innovation, protects Americans from emerging public health threats, and saves lives through the discovery of cures. Investing in federal research is one of the wisest investments we can make to secure the health, safety, and well-being of the American people.
SWHR urges Congress to reject the steep budget cuts proposed by the president and provide sufficient funding for our nation’s research agencies, equipping them with the resources they need to carry out their respective missions. Women—and all Americans—deserve strong, well-funded agencies that can work each day to make them healthier and safer. We sincerely hope that final fiscal year 2026 spending legislation will reflect this need.