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JDF Legislative Alert: Status of NIH Funding
August 21, 1996

On Friday, July 12th, the House passed H.R. 3755, the FY 1997 Labor-HHS-Education Appropriation bill by a vote of 216 to 209. As we have previously reported, the House approved an increase of roughly $820 million, or 6.9 percent, for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and an increase of $49 million for the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). This victory was not without a battle, however. During House floor debate of the bill, Congressman Bill Goodling (R-PA) offered an amendment to transfer $291 million from NIH to various special education programs. Fortunately, this amendment ultimately failed by a non-recorded voice vote thanks to the hard work of JDF volunteers.

The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education has postponed their previously scheduled mid-July mark-up of H.R. 3755 until after Labor Day. This postponement signals the frightening possibility that funding for the NIH may be included in a long-term Continuing Resolution (CR) that could flat-line all programs at FY '96 levels!

This means it is crucial to generate as many letters as possible to your Congressperson and Senators from your state by September 3rd. When contacting your Congressperson your message should be:

• Thank-you for the House approved 6.9 percent increase.

• Ask them to write a letter to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to expedite passage of H.R. 3755 by the full committee, with an increase equal to that of the House, or more, for NIH funding, and an equal increase for NIDDK.

• In the case of a CR, urge them to vote for an increase equal to the House approved 6.9 percent, or more, for NIH funding, and an equal increase for NIDDK.

When contacting your U.S. Senators your message should be:

• Ask them to contact their colleagues on the Senate Appropriations Committee and urge them to expedite passage of H.R. 3755 by the full committee with an increase equal to that of the House, or more, for NIH funding, and an equal increase for NIDDK.

• In the case of a CR, urge them to vote for an increase equal to the House approved 6.9 percent, or more, for NIH funding, and an equal increase for NIDDK.

Some additional points to include in your letter:

• Your personal story.

• To seriously contain federal spending on health care, including Medicare and Medicaid, the federal investment in medical research must be maintained. There is ample evidence that an investment in medical research yields substantial savings in treatment costs. Research which leads to a cure for and prevention of diseases such as diabetes can potentially save the federal government and society billions in health care costs -- $138 billion per year for diabetes alone.

• Cuts to the NIH would mean that the research engine that drives the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and many other high-tech industries will be dramatically downsized, threatening America's world leadership in these important areas which account for hundreds of thousands of jobs.

• Much of the medical research currently funded through the NIH would not be conducted if federal funding is reduced. Private industry would find this research too risky an enterprise since there are no assurances that it will produce a marketable product or procedure.

Addresses:  The Honorable Full Name      The Honorable Full Name
             U.S. Senate                 U.S. House of Representatives
             Washington, D.C.  20510     Washington, D.C.  20515

             Dear Senator Last Name:     Dear Congress(man/woman) Last Name:

Please send a copy of all correspondence to:

JDF Government Relations
1400 I Street, N.W., Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20005

If you have any questions, or need any additional information, please call Bill Schmidt or Eric Schutt in the JDF Government Relations Department at 1 (800) JDF-1VOTE, or mthreatt@jdfcure.org.

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Last Updated: Thu Aug 29 19:59:48 2002
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