This is framed as a broad national effort to advance U.S. S&T leadership, and it is essential that the vision research community clearly communicates and strongly emphasizes the importance of federal funding for robust basic science and discovery research. These foundational investments have fueled every major translational breakthrough in vision science and are essential to advance research that ultimately improves patient care and outcomes.
Draft and Submit Your Comments to OSTP
We urge all vision researchers, institutions, and partners to submit comments reinforcing the importance of predictable federal support for investigator-initiated research and the integrity of the peer review process.
- Submission Deadline: December 26, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
- How to Submit: Comments must be submitted via the Federal eRulemaking Portal at regulations.gov. and search for the RFI titled “Accelerating the American Scientific Enterprise.”
Alternatively, NAEVR has also developed a draft templated response that you can use to send directly to the regulatory comment mailbox via their website
Suggested Talking Points for Your OSTP Comments
ARVO, in alignment with our partners at Research!America, and the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research recommends structuring your comments around sustaining the fundamental pillars of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)/National Eye Institute (NEI)research model. As such, we have aligned talking points to the framework laid out in the Vision for American Science and Technology (VAST) report.
- Prioritize Fundamental Discovery: Federal S&T policy must ensure sustained, year-over-year increases in funding for basic, investigator-initiated research (NIH/NEI). This commitment to fundamental discovery research is the primary driver of breakthroughs and is recognized by the vision research community and the VAST roadmap as essential for global competitiveness and national security.
- Uphold Peer Review Integrity: The rigorous expert peer review system is the most effective, efficient, and accountable mechanism to allocate limited federal resources and maintain research integrity. Any effort to weaken, bypass, or replace the peer review process risks lower-quality science, duplication of effort, and slower progress. The vision research community urges the administration to protect this proven mechanism.
- Reduce Administrative Burden: To truly "unleash the full power and potential of America’s S&T enterprise,” policies must be implemented to minimize regulatory and administrative burdens on scientists. Excessive paperwork and compliance requirements divert precious time away from discovery and slow the translation of NIH-funded research into patient impact.
- Strengthen the S&T Workforce: We must support policies that "Build and empower the strongest and most adaptable workforce" by investing in the next generation of vision researchers through enhanced grant mechanisms (T32s, K awards, early-stage R01s), ensuring a strong pipeline of vision scientists and clinician-researchers who can sustain U.S. leadership.
Additional Resources to Inform Your Comments
- White House Fact Sheet
- NIH Multi-Year Funding One-Pager
- National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) Template RFI Response Letter
Your Voice Matters
As a community, we need vision researchers to respond. Your scientific expertise and on-the-ground insight carry enormous weight with federal policymakers.
Thank you for your tireless commitment to protecting and strengthening the future of vision science. Your timely response to this RFI is crucial to ensuring that vision research remains a national priority and that discovery continues to advance sight-saving innovations for millions of Americans.