Frank Pallone: “Woman, if we want to speed the pace of innovation and development of new treatment and cures, we must increase funding…”

“Woman, if we want to speed the pace of innovation and development of new treatment and cures, we must increase funding to NIH. We all know the numbers. NIH has $8.2 billion less to spend in fiscal year 2015 than it had in fiscal year 2003, when adjusted for inflation. That funding erosion has reduced the application success rate, leaving promising research ideas to languish due to lack of funding. It has also left many young and midcareer scientists wondering whether they can support themselves through a career in biomedical research. The NIH and Cures innovation fund aims to reverse that trajectory by providing $8.7 in mandatory funding over a 5-year period. Providing mandatory funding through the innovation fund would ensure that NIH has increased funding to make critical investments in research that will help us deliver on the promise of the 21st Century Cures Act, to accelerate the pace of scientific advancement that leads to life- improving and lifesaving treatments and cures. Madam Chairwoman, without this funding stream, H.R. 6, I think, will be ineffective; and I urge Members to reject the Brat amendment. I am in strong opposition to the Brat amendment.”