Van Hollen, Cardin Press for NIH Research Funding in Next COVID-19 Relief Package
U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) joined Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Jerry Moran (R-KS) in sending a bipartisan letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The Senators urged that the upcoming COVID-19 relief package include $15.5 billion for the Bethesda-based National Institutes of Health (NIH) in order to avoid significant harm to the research pipeline in the United States.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused more than $10 billion in lost research, adding a significant delay in our understanding of dangerous diseases as well as cutting-edge treatments to improve quality of life for those suffering from them. The Senators asked that $10 billion be allocated to help make up for unforeseen disruptions and costs to important, ongoing medical research nationwide, and that $5.5 billion be allocated for NIH-supported coronavirus-related research into cures, treatments, and vaccines.
“A majority of our researchers have been unable to continue their work while away from their labs and the impact will be felt for years to come. These disruptions will add a significant delay in our understanding of dangerous diseases as well as cutting-edge treatments to improve quality of life for those suffering from them. Beyond that, this major slowdown places an economic engine of over $81 billion and nearly 476,000 jobs across the U.S. at great risk,” the Senators wrote.
“Whether it’s treating and eradicating the COVID-19 pandemic or continuing groundbreaking research toward deadly diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and more, the NIH is at the forefront of improving and saving lives. This important work takes place in our universities in every state and produces results that drive our nation’s health care forward,” they continued.
Joining Van Hollen, Cardin, Durbin, and Moran on the letter were Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Tina Smith (D-MN), Kamala Harris (D-CA), Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Doug Jones (D-AL), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Bob Casey (D-PA), Angus King (I-ME), and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA).
The full text of the letter is available here and below.
Dear Leader McConnell and Leader Schumer,
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every major section of the economy of the United States, including our nation’s biomedical research. The future of our nation’s research has been severely impacted by coronavirus related precautions and will require years of work to restore the lost productivity if swift action is not taken. According to witness testimony from the Director of the National Institutes of Health, Dr. Francis Collins, the coronavirus pandemic has caused over $10 billion in lost research , not to mention the additional unforeseen medical research needs posed by this virus.
As such, we request that $15.5 billion for NIH be included in a fourth COVID relief package to avoid significant harm to our research pipeline in the United States. Of this funding, we request that $10 billion be allocated to help make up for unforeseen disruptions and costs to important, ongoing medical research nationwide, and that $5.5 billion be allocated for NIH-supported coronavirus-related research into cures, treatments, and vaccines.
A majority of our researchers have been unable to continue their work while away from their labs and the impact will be felt for years to come. These disruptions will add a significant delay in our understanding of dangerous diseases as well as cutting-edge treatments to improve quality of life for those suffering from them. Beyond that, this major slowdown places an economic engine of over $81 billion and nearly 476,000 jobs across the U.S. at great risk.
Whether it’s treating and eradicating the COVID-19 pandemic or continuing groundbreaking research toward deadly diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, diabetes, and more, the NIH is at the forefront of improving and saving lives. This important work takes place in our universities in every state and produces results that drive our nation’s health care forward.
While we have worked together to stabilize our economy and keep our citizens safe, we must now look to the future and ensure that the engine that drives our healthcare forward does not come to a halt, and we must dedicate more funding to help fight this ongoing pandemic.
Sincerely,