House Subcommittee Discusses 2019 NIH Budget
On April 11, the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) heard testimony from leadership of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) on the fiscal year (FY) 2019 NIH budget request. NIH Director Francis Collins, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Director Diana Bianchi, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, National Cancer Institute Director Norman Sharpless, and National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Nora Volkow all testified at the hearing. NIH was lauded for its accomplishments by members of both parties, further solidifying its position as a bi-partisan priority. Subcommittee Chair Tom Cole (R-OK), Ranking Member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), and other members of the subcommittee expressed concern with the $2 billion cut recommended in the President’s FY 2019 budget request, in stark contrast to the $3 billion increase NIH received in the omnibus FY 2018 spending bill. Committee members also discussed NIH activities related to the opioid epidemic, the flu vaccine, medical and recreational marijuana, and cancer detection. A recording of the hearing and written statements from Collins and Cole can be found on the House Appropriations Committee’s website. COSSA’s coverage of FY 2019 funding is available here.