April 2017

This week, congressional supporters of the National Institutes of Health sent a letter signed by 217 House Representatives to the House Appropriations Committee, chaired by Rep. Freylinghuysen (R-NJ), urging the committee to provide at least a $2 billion funding increase over the fiscal year 2017 funding level (which has not yet been finalized by Congress) for the NIH. The letter, authored by Reps. McKinley (R-W.VA.), Carson (D-IN), King (R-NY) and Davis (D-CA), was a key ask of the House Representatives at the 2017 ATS Hill Day on March 29.

In the letter, the authors state, "Over the past few years, the critical research at NIH has been impacted by repeated cuts in the midst of a fragile economy." They continue, "At a time of unprecedented scientific opportunity, it is critical that the United States make forward-thinking investments that promote medical breakthroughs as well as our international leadership in biomedical research."

View the House letter here. A similar letter is expected to be circulated in the Senate within the next few months. The ATS DC office will alert members to contact their senators to urge their sign on to this letter.