Dear Mr. Austin:
Thank you for taking the time to contact me about federal funding for medical research, prevention and awareness efforts. I appreciate hearing from you about this issue.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct vital medical research that is essential to developing preventive measures, treatments and cures for common and rare diseases. Similarly, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conduct prevention research, implement public health strategies and work to promote awareness of health behaviors to create safe and healthful environments throughout the Nation and the world. Fully funding these agencies is critical if we are going to continue to lead the world in biomedical research and to advance vital and cutting-edge research into prevention of and treatment for chronic conditions and diseases.
I am a proud member of the NIH Caucus, an organization within the Senate for members who support the work done by the National Institutes of Health. Furthermore, each year as Congress begins its appropriations process, I join my colleagues in signing letters to the Appropriations Committee in support of federal funding for medical research and prevention efforts. Most recently, I authored a bipartisan letter in support of funding for medical research at the NIH for Fiscal Year (FY) 2017, and was joined by 55 other Senators on this letter.
Ensuring continued adequate funding for medical research is vital not only for patients, but also for Pennsylvania’s economy and the economic health of our Nation. For that reason, I am pleased to be a cosponsor of two bills that would help to enhance federal funding for this purpose:
• S. 289, the American Cures Act, which was introduced by Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, would increase funding for the NIH, the CDC, the Department of Defense Health Program and the Veterans Medical & Prosthetics Research Program. It would also ensure that this funding increases every year to account for inflation and adjust the budget caps put in place by the sequester to ensure that this funding is not taken from other critical programs.
• S. 2624, the National Biomedical Research Act, which was introduced by Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, would create a Biomedical Innovation Fund to provide a new funding stream for the NIH and the Food and Drug Administration. In years when Congress provides increased funding to these agencies, the Innovation Fund would supplement this increase with an additional $5 billion for select initiatives, including the National Cancer Moonshot, the Precision Medicine Initiative and the Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies (BRAIN) Initiative.
These bills are important steps in providing for an expanded and sustained national investment in biomedical research and innovation. The American Cures Act has been referred to the Committee on the Budget, of which I am not a member, while the National Biomedical Research Act has been referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, of which I am a member. Please be assured that I will continue to advocate for this important legislation.
The final budget for the NIH for FY 2016 was about $32 billion. Improving and ensuring health care for all Americans is one of my top priorities in the Senate, and I will continue to fight for federal funding for medical research and prevention efforts as part of that goal.
Again, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future about this or any other matter of importance to you.
For more information on this or other issues, I encourage you to visit my website, http://casey.senate.gov. I hope you will find this online office a comprehensive resource to stay up-to-date on my work in Washington, request assistance from my office, or share with me your thoughts on the issues that matter most to you and to Pennsylvania.
Sincerely,
Bob Casey
United States Senator
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