Together, we’ve made progress. Let’s not stop now.

This year has tested the scientific community in ways few could have imagined. The administration proposed deep cuts to federal science budgets, targeted international students and scholars, and left many of our colleagues uncertain about the future of their research and careers.

In countless conversations with scientists across the country, we’ve heard your concerns for the future of our field. But we’ve also heard resolve. We are seeing physicists from every career stage and every sector step forward to defend the values and the future of science.

Now, a looming government shutdown threatens to disrupt more lives if Congress fails to reach a bipartisan compromise by Sept. 30. And so we ask you once more to speak out for science funding and our community — even if you have done so before.

To date, the impact of your efforts is evident. Together, APS members have sent more than 12,000 letters to Congress on funding, immigration, and the environment, held in-state meetings in key states from Alaska to Pennsylvania, and published op-eds and letters to the editor that are changing the conversation in communities across the country. And now, APS has a new program to help APS members meet with their congressional offices in Washington, D.C. year-round. Because of your voices, Congress has already begun to push back against the most damaging cuts. The chorus is growing — let’s make it impossible to ignore.

We’ve also seen members coming together in other ways. More than 2,000 of you have used our hardship waiver program to stay connected to the APS community at a time when connection matters most. Mentors and educators have answered the call to fill the gaps. Donors have stepped up.

What inspires us most is not just the actions themselves, but the spirit behind them. There’s an understanding now that this will be a long fight, but one we can endure together. In the face of uncertainty, you have continued to step forward — to mentor, to publish, to organize, and to advocate. That spirit, reinforced by the steadfast support of our international colleagues, is what gives us hope.

America’s choices about science funding shape the nation’s economy and extend well beyond national borders. Although APS is a U.S.-based organization, we are part of a global scientific community. Nearly a quarter of our members live and work outside the United States, and the vast majority of articles in our journals include international authors. What happens in D.C. does not stay in D.C.; decisions made there ripple outward, strengthening or straining the collaborations on which discovery depends.

So our message to you is simple: thank you. Because of your efforts, we’ve made real progress. But progress is fragile. It needs your voice, your presence, your persistence. Together, let’s keep building. Let’s keep showing up. Contact Congress today.

With gratitude,