On the recordJune 7, 2016
the total for the Department of Defense medical research programs we are discussing amounts to less than 0.2 percent of this total budget--less than two-tenths of 1 percent--and the Senator from Arizona is arguing that we are wasting money that could otherwise be spent in more valuable ways for our military. We are not wasting money; we are investing in medical research programs that serve our military, their families, and our veterans, and I will never apologize for that. Yes, these groups are upset because they have seen the progress that has been made with these investments, coordinating with the NIH and the Institute of Medicine. They have done the right thing. They have found cures, they have relieved the problems and challenges facing our military, their families, and the veterans who have served. In terms of whether the amendment the Senator has already put into the bill is going to have any negative impact on Department of Defense medical research, let me quote the Department of Defense and what they said about the language from Chairman McCain: These changes would drastically delay the awards, risking the timely obligation of funds, significantly increase the effort and cost for both the recipients and the Federal Government. With the additional audit services needed, documentation that recipients would be required to provide, changes to recipients' accounting systems, the scientific programs would be severely impacted. Massive confusion would follow.…
