Dear [Your Elected Official],

<p>I am writing on behalf of the American Cleft Palate Craniofacial Association (ACPA) to implore you to maintain federal investment in pediatric research and do everything in your power to stop the proposed limits and cuts to NIH research funding. <br /> <br />Over 7,000 children are born in the U.S. every year with a cleft lip and/or palate, while 76,000 patients are served by ACPA Approved Teams annually. Children born with cleft lip, cleft palate, and/or other craniofacial differences may require individualized treatment into adulthood. Research leads to breakthroughs in advanced care.</p> <p>Research funding from the government has led to <strong>groundbreaking healthcare innovations for America's children</strong>. It also pays dividends in our communities - each federal dollar invested in research generates more than $2 in local economic growth.</p> <p>Abrupt changes to the structure of federal funding are short-sighted and will disrupt ongoing research. These sudden disruptions have serious consequences since they:</p> <ol> <li>Waste taxpayer dollars that have already been invested, not to mention money invested by philanthropy and industry;</li> <li>Jeopardize the development of new treatments; and,</li> <li>Place children’s long term health care at risk.</li> </ol> <p>Although the Executive Order freezing grant payments, and the guidance drastically cutting federal research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are now subject to temporary restraining orders, both signal an intention to seriously undermine decades of scientific advancements and sow uncertainty about any future investments.</p> <p>The United States has historically been a leader in pediatric research, and as such, I ask you to maintain federal investment in pediatric research.</p>