Roy Blunt: “Let me say to my friend from Texas that until the leadership in the Senate changed to the current leadership 7 years…”

“Let me say to my friend from Texas that until the leadership in the Senate changed to the current leadership 7 years ago, we always did appropriations by debating and advancing individual things. The idea that we don't want to debate anything if we don't debate everything makes no sense. It is not the way the government should run. I think the House is not only well intended but that their goal is a worthy goal. The House of Representatives, led by Republicans beginning in 1995, doubled NIH funding in 10 years. My good friend from South Dakota and I were there for the majority of that 10-year doubling of NIH funding. Last year in the Appropriations Committee markup I voted for a bill that would add $1 billion extra to NIH funding. It was defeated in the committee. This year I voted for a bill that would add almost $1.5 billion of additional NIH funding. This makes a difference in the lives of people. Dr. Francis Collins, the Director of NIH, has estimated that each week there is a shutdown his agency's research hospital would have to turn away an estimated 200 patients. He estimated 30 of those patients would be children. I know they took the children and individuals who were coming Monday and Tuesday but are now beginning to notify people: If you were scheduled to come, we have 4,000 people working and 14,000 people not working. We can't accept you right now. I think this is the right thing to do. It is an easy thing to do, if we would just stand and do it.…”