Members of Congress Introduce Various Bills to Support NIH Funding

As the Congress begins debate on the budget, several champions of medical research have introduced legislative proposals to bolster funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) introduced the American Cures Act to support the future of research at the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Department of Defense Health Program (DHP), and the Veterans Medical & Prosthetics Research Program. Senator Durbin first introduced this legislation during the previous Congress last year after meeting with former Society President Teresa K. Woodruff. Senator Durbin attended ICE/ENDO last June to receive the Society’s Champion of Biomedical Research Award. He urged Society members to advocate for research funding.

The American Cures Act would reverse the decline in grant funding by setting a steady growth rate in federal appropriations for biomedical research conducted at the NIH, CDC, DHP, and the Veterans Medical & Prosthetics Research Program. Each year, the bill would increase funding for each agency and program at a rate of GDP-indexed inflation plus 5%.

The America Cures Act is co-sponsored by Senators: Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Edward J. Markey (D-MA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Al Franken (D-MN), and Bob Casey (D-PA).