AAMC President and CEO David J. Skorton, MD, and AAMC Chief Public Policy Officer Danielle Turnipseed, JD, MHSA, MPP, issued the following statement regarding the Labor, Health and Human Services (HHS), Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) appropriations bill passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee:
“The AAMC commends the bipartisan work of Senate appropriators led by Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Vice-chair Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Labor-H Subcommittee Chair Shelley Moore Capito (R-W. Va.) and Vice-chair Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), to bolster funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in its FY 2026 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. The committee’s decision to reject massive, harmful cuts to NIH is a testament to the critical role biomedical research plays in keeping America healthy.
Without sustained, robust growth in NIH funding, discoveries that lead to new treatments, therapies, and diagnostics against diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, and numerous chronic conditions could stall. Investment in biomedical research is how America remains first: first in discovery, first in treatment, first in cures, first in saving lives. Additionally, we appreciate the committee’s ongoing recognition that federal support for essential research operations costs are part and parcel of a thriving national research enterprise.
We appreciate that the bill maintains close to previous levels of investment in Title VII and Title VIII health care workforce programs at the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). These critical, proven programs help train the next generation of health care professionals — including physicians, nurses, mental health professionals, public health practitioners, and others — and improve access to care, particularly in rural and other underserved areas.
As the FY 2026 appropriations process moves forward, the AAMC urges lawmakers to prioritize meaningful increases in federal support and ensure that congressionally approved funds are disbursed in a timely manner for both medical research and the nation’s health care workforce. These investments are essential not only for improving the health of patients and communities nationwide, but also for strengthening our economy and sustaining America’s global leadership in science, education, and innovation.”