From owner-biophysics@net.bio.net Mon Nov 06 22:00:00 1995 Path: biosci!ns1.faseb.org!ns1.faseb.org!not-for-mail From: ascbinfo@faseb.org (ASCB Info) Newsgroups: bionet.prof-society.ascb,bionet.prof-society.faseb,bionet.prof-society.csm,bionet.announce,bionet.prof-society.biophysics Subject: NIH Funding Alert Date: 7 Nov 1995 15:59:57 -0500 Organization: FASEB Lines: 144 Sender: ascbinfo@ns1.faseb.org Approved: moderator@faseb.org Message-ID: <47oh6g$k24@ns1.faseb.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: ns1.faseb.org Xref: biosci bionet.prof-society.ascb:57 bionet.prof-society.faseb:14 bionet.prof-society.csm:49 bionet.announce:2597 bionet.prof-society.biophysics:19 ---- November 8, 1995 To: Members of the Congressional Liaison Committee From: Joint Steering Committee for Public Policy Re: NIH Funding Letter-Immediate Action Needed THE ISSUE In response to the current budget impasse, the co-chairs of the Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus circulated a "Dear Colleague" letter on the NIH budget situation. The letter was circulated by Reps. George Gekas (R-PA), Bill Richardson (D-NM), and Cliff Stearns (R-FL) and asks that the NIH be a top priority during budget negotiations and be funded at the highest possible level for FY'96. ACTION NEEDED CLC members are asked to contact their Representatives now through December 1 to ask that they sign the "Dear Colleague" letter in support of increased funding for the NIH. Please call the Capitol switchboard (tel: 202/224-3121) to connect to your Representative's office. Ask that the Congressman/woman contact Seth Johnson in Congressman Gekas' office at 202/225-4315. The following Members have already signed the "Dear Colleague" letter: Porter (R-IL), Coyne (D-PA), Nethercutt (R-WA), Klug (R-WI), Fowler (R-FL), Clayton (D-NC), Pallone (D-NJ), Bentsen (D-TX), Morella (R-MD), Cunningham (R-CA), Clayton (D-NC), Davis (R-VA), Fox (R-PA), Olver (D-MA), Maloney (D-NY), Hall (D-OH), DeFazio (D-OR), Frank (D-MA), Markey (D-MA), Dellums (D-CA), McDermott (D-WA), Meehan (D-MA), and Dingell (D-MI). Dear Colleague: We are deeply concerned that the 5.7% FY'96 funding increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) passed by the House may be permanently delayed by the application of an across the board funding formula in any Continuing Resolution for Appropriations (CR). Under the current operating CR until Nov. 13th, the NIH is now funded by a 5% decease in funds from the FY'95 funding level. The NIH is a program that all parties in the budget negotiations-- the Administration, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees- -agreed was among the highest funding priorities for FY'96. It is foreseeable that the NIH may continue to be funded at the reduced level of 95% of last year's funds throughout FY'96. This would seriously jeopardize our progress in biomedical research and produce a result that no one supported. We are asking you to join us in the attached letter to President Clinton, Speaker Gingrich, Chairman Livingston, Senate Majority Leader Dole, and Chairman Hatfield. Please contact Seth Johnson at 225-4315 if you would like to sign on to the letter. (Signed) George Gekas, Bill Richardson, Cliff Stearns Excerpts of the letter to be signed by your Member of Congress follow: Dear____: We are concerned about the current funding situation for the NIH. The NIH. The NIH is a world leader in biomedical research. Its programs enjoy the broad bipartisan support of both the Congress and the American public. The Administration, as well as the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, all recommended FY'96 funding increases for the NIH, but the current CR reduces NIH funding to 95% of the FY'95 funding level. This reduction is unnecessary to achieve a balanced budget since both the House and Senate Appropriations Committees recommended the NIH increase in the context of a seven-year balanced budget plan. If the current CR's funding reduction for the NIH were to be continued beyond the November 13th expiration date in any future budget agreements, there will be serious consequences for the progress of biomedical research in the United States. The unintended consequences of across-the-board funding formulas with no budget priority decisions threaten future research efforts. Disease costs the nation billions every year in health care costs. As we strive to achieve a balanced budget, we must adopt policies and funding priorities that make the most of scarce federal dollars. Federal funding for biomedical research should be a top priority because without new strategies to prevent, intervene and treat diseases, health care costs will continue to spiral out of control. For example, last year the nation spent $90 billion on the care of the Alzheimer's patients. Significant progress through biomedical research to delay the most debilitating aspects of a disease requiring around the clock nursing care would save billions of Medicare and Medicaid dollars every year. An investment of one billion dollars in NIH research wuld be a bargain to save approximately $40 billion in federal health care costs. Currently, we fund only $300 millioon for NIH research on Alzheimer's disease. Adequate funding for the NIH not only saves scarce federal health care dollars, but also provides hope and solutions to the victims of diabetes, heart, stroke, and other chronic diseases. We strongly urge you to fund the National Institutes of Health in any budget agreement at the highest possible level for FY'96, consistent with the funding priorities set by the House and Senate Appropriations Committees and the Clinton Administration. Sincerely, (signed Member of Congress) * * * For more information, contact Jim Bernstein at the ASCB at 301/530-7153, or Pete Farnham at the ASBMB at 301/530-7147. ASCB ASBMB BS GSA AAA .