Statement by Research!America President and CEO Mary Woolley on H.R. 2740
Today’s passage of the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Legislative Branch, Defense, State, Foreign Operations, and Energy and Water Development appropriations “minibus” bill signals strong support for the medical and public health progress Americans want and our nation needs. We applaud the $2 billion increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which will enable it to support more researchers across the nation to make the discoveries that will lead to better health for everyone. This legislation also provides investments of almost $1 billion for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which works around the clock protecting our nation from global and domestic health threats. It also increases funding by $20.2 million for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), which is playing a pivotal role in maximizing healthcare quality and squeezing costly inefficiencies out of healthcare delivery.
We were also heartened that the House passed the amendment led by Congressman Pocan that aims to reduce the negative impact of the Administration’s recent attempts to stifle life-saving fetal tissue research. While we hoped the minibus would go further to prevent these progress-slowing policy changes, this amendment is an important statement in support of responsible research that plays a unique role in understanding and combating lethal health threats.