02/16/2011

FASEB: $1.6 billion cut at NIH proposed by Congress

As part of a plan to cut billions in federal funding for fiscal 2011, there is a proposal before Congress to cut funding at the National Institutes of Health by $1.6 billion, according to an announcement from Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology

HR 1, a “continuing resolution,” would cut NIH funding by 5.2% below the current level – reducing the budget for medical research to $29.4 billion, according to FASEB.

“We must rally everyone – researchers, trainees, lab personnel – in the scientific community to protest these draconian cuts,” said William T. Talman, MD, FASEB President.

Talman encouraged those who want to protest the cuts to go to http://capwiz.com/faseb/callalert/index.tt?alertid=27944501 for instructions on how to call representatives in Washington, DC.

“Urge him/her to oppose the cuts to NIH and vote against HR 1,” Talman said. “Once you’ve made the call, let us know how it went by sending a short email to the address provided in the call instructions and forward the alert link to your colleagues. We must explain to our representatives how cuts to NIH will have a devastating impact on their constituents.”