February 16, 2001

Specter, Harkin Introduce Resolution to Boost NIH Funding

Senators Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) and Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) Feb. 13 introduced a resolution (S. Res. 19) to express the Sense of the Senate that funding for the National Institutes of Health should be increased by $3.4 billion in FY 2002. Specifically, the "Biomedical Revitalization Resolution of 2001" calls for the FY 2002 budget resolution to include an additional $3.4 billion to be allocated for biomedical research at NIH. Sens. Specter and Harkin are the chair and ranking member, respectively, of the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations Subcommittee.

The Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research Funding, chaired by AAMC Executive Vice President Dick Knapp, has proposed a $3.4 billion increase in the NIH budget as the fourth step in doubling the NIH budget by FY 2003. Over 240 groups and institutions have endorsed the Ad Hoc Group proposal. NIH received $20.3 billion in FY 2001.

The following senators joined Sens. Specter and Harkin as original cosponsors of the measure: Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Mike DeWine (R-Ohio), Bill Frist (R-Tenn.), Tim Hutchinson (R-Ark.), Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.), Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), and Olympia Snowe (R-Maine).

AAMC President Jordan J. Cohen, M.D., commended the senators for their leadership on behalf of medical research and encouraged AAMC members to ask other senators to cosponsor this resolution.

Information: Dave Moore or Jonathan Fishburn, AAMC Office of Governmental Relations, 202-828-0525.