Murray and colleagues advance bipartisan bill through key subcommittee, providing the NIH an increase of $2 billion to support medical research for patients and families in Washington state and nationwide
In 2015, Washington state’s public and private biomedical research sector received $885 million in funding from the NIH
Murray: NIH investments are critical to Washington state patients, families, and economy
(Washington, D.C.) – Today, Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), the top Democrat on the Senate Labor, Health, and Human Services (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that she had worked to secure significant investments in medical research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of the Labor, Health and Education appropriations bill, which passed through the subcommittee today and will next be considered by the full-Appropriations Committee. This bill will provide $34.1 billion for the NIH, which is an increase of $2 billion from last year’s level.
“I’m proud that Democrats and Republicans were able to come together to boost medical research and help create jobs and give our scientists and researchers more resources to cure the toughest and most devastating diseases patients face,” said Senator Murray. “Our country is at a critical moment for medical innovation, and I’m going to continue working to support federal investments in research that help drive lifesaving, world-changing medical breakthroughs.”
The increase includes an additional $100 million for the new Precision Medicine Initiative million-person cohort program, as well as an additional $400 million for Alzheimer’s disease research. It also includes increases of $100 million for the BRAIN Initiative and $50 million for research to combat antimicrobial resistance. Every NIH Institute and Center will receive increased funding to support investments that advance science and speed the development of new therapies, diagnostics and preventive measures, helping to improve the health of patients and families in Washington state and across the country.
As the lead negotiator for Senate Democrats, Senator Murray has been working with Republican Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO) and others to help ensure the bill protects and expands critical investments for students, workers, women, families, and the economy. Senator Murray has been a strong supporter of the National Institutes of Health, and has repeatedly called for strong mandatory investments as part of a legislative effort to advance medical innovation in the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
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