Policy Positions

Each year, ARVO works with our partners, such as the Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (AEVR), to solidify our positions on recurring topics such as annual appropriations, or ad-hoc legislation.

FY2022 Appropriations

• In FY2022, ARVO urges Congress to appropriate President Biden's April 9, 2021 recommendation of $51 billion, including no less than $46.1 billion for the base program level budget (absent proposed funding for the Advanced Research Projects Agency–Health [ARPA-H]) for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), a $3.2 billion or 7.4% increase over the FY2021 program level, reflecting biomedical inflation of 2.4%, plus 5% growth. This allows for meaningful growth above inflation in the base budget to support promising science across all Institutes and Centers, as well a support the next generation of scientists.

• In FY2022, the vision community urges Congress to appropriate at least $900 million for National Eye Institute (NEI), a $64.3 million or 7.7% increase over FY2021, reflecting biomedical inflation and growth. Congress must ensure that the NEI remains the world leader in sight-saving and vision restoring research and can train the next generation of vision scientists.

• ARVO endorses the Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA) FY2022 budget recommendation of $902 million for the VA Medical and Prosthetic Research program, at least $100 million for major and minor construction, and $42 million for IT infrastructure.

• ARVO endorses Prevent Blindness' FY2022 budget recommendation of  $5 million to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s Vision and Eye Health program and $4 million for Glaucoma. This funding would allow the CDC to conduct critically needed national surveillance of devastating eye diseases and conditions, determine where gaps in access to care exist, and partner with states and communities to improve vision and eye health at the state, local, or systems level.

COVID-19 Relief

• ARVO endorses the Research Investment to Spark the Economy (RISE) Act (HR 869/S 289) which would, "provide $25 billion to help restore our nation’s research capacity to its pre-pandemic strength, prevent setbacks against the formidable challenges our nation faces, and further the goal of a robust, diverse, and inclusive STEM workforce," including $10 billion in research relief to the NIH.