Senate Confirms Bhattacharya as NIH Director and Kratsios as OSTP Director

On March 26, the Senate voted to confirm Dr. Jay Bhattacharya as the next Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in a 53-47 vote (see previous COSSA coverage). In his confirmation hearing, Dr. Bhattacharya confirmed that he would prioritize chronic disease research over infectious disease research, aligning with Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as well as investing in cutting edge research.  

The Senate also confirmed Michael Kratsios as the Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) in a bipartisan 74-25 vote (see previous COSSA coverage). Kratsios served as Trump’s Chief Technology Officer and later as Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering in the Department of Defense (DOD) during the first Trump term. Following his confirmation, he tweeted, “Advancing American dominance in AI, emerging tech, and breakthrough science has never been so critical. Under @POTUS’ leadership, we will unleash the Golden Age of American Innovation!” This is in line with his intent to “prioritize emerging technologies” as OSTP Director. Following the confirmation of Kratsios, President Trump outlined his top priorities in a letter to the new Director, asking;

• How can the United States cement itself as the global leader in emerging technologies?
• How can we “revitalize” America’s science and technology enterprise?
• How can we use scientific progress and technological innovation to fuel economic growth and improve the lives of all Americans?

In the letter, President Trump wrote, “We have the opportunity to cement America’s global technological leadership and usher in the Golden Age of American Innovation.” Paired with Kratsios’ aforementioned priorities, it is expected that OSTP will shift its focus to technology research and innovation.

Stay tuned to COSSA’s continued coverage on the new Administration.