A total of 169 House members, including 29 Republicans, signed a March 25 letter supporting increased funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in fiscal year (FY) 2016. The letter, organized by Reps. David McKinley (R-W.Va.), Susan Davis (D-Calif.), Andre Carson (D-Ind.), and Peter King (R-N.Y.), requests that NIH receive “at least $32 billion” in FY 2016.
The House letter, which was sent to the chairs and ranking members of both the full House Appropriations Committee and its Labor-HHS subcommittee, states “it is critical that the United States make forward-thinking investments that promote medical breakthroughs as well as our international leadership in biomedical research.”
Similarly, a total of 54 senators, including 12 Republicans, signed a March 27 letter requesting the chairs and ranking members of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Labor-HHS subcommittee “maintain a strong commitment” to funding for NIH.
The Senate letter, organized by Senators Bob Casey (D-Pa.) and Richard Burr (R-N.C.), does not mention a specific funding level for NIH but urges appropriators “to consider the tremendous benefits of a sustained investment in the NIH.”