Statement by United for Medical Research on House Passage of the Labor-HAS-Education Appropriation Bill

United for Medical Research (UMR) commends Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey (D-WI) for moving an appropriations bill through the House of Representatives that contains a increases above the President’s budget request for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). A 3.1 percent increase during these challenging economic times, demonstrates a genuine national commitment to steady and predictable funding growth for biomedical research.

We urge the Senate to build on these increases this year, and for both the House and Senate to support steady increases when the temporary resources from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act expire in 2011. It is critical that the Congress avoid boom and bust cycles of support for NIH in order to preserve our leadership in science and leverage the opportunities made possible by these recent investments. At this critical moment, when our nation is seeking to improve the health of our citizens and rebuild the economy, investments in medical research will pay rich dividends in the form of longer, healthier lives and robust economic growth.