Today the House Appropriations Committee released the fiscal year 2022 Defense Appropriations Bill with $10 million for the Lupus Research Program (LRP) in the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs operated under the Defense Health Program. We are thankful that Congress maintained the funding for this program, and we remain committed to advocating for steady and robust investment for this critical research.   

The LRA led the push for the creation of the Lupus Research Program which was first funded with $5 million in fiscal year 2017 and increased to $10 million in fiscal year 2020. In the first five years of the program, $35 million has been allocated, 38 grants have been awarded, 10 grants have been recommended for funding under the fiscal year 2020 allocation, and the fiscal year 2021 grant applications are due later this year.   

LRA leadership and members of the Congressional Lupus Caucus have encouraged Congress to invest in research priorities like this that are critical to the Lupus Research Alliance and all people impacted by lupus. The investment is urgently needed for discoveries that can make a difference in patients’ lives.  

Tomorrow the bill will go before the House Appropriations Committee and once passed there, it will go to the full House of Representatives for passage which is expected to happen by the end of July. Before the bill is ready for the President’s signature and becomes law, the Senate has to release its appropriations bills and then the two chambers meet to create one bill. We will continue to advocate for lupus research funding throughout this process. Our Action Center will be kept up to date so you can follow the progress at each step along the way.   

Congratulations to all the lupus advocates who helped make this happen!