In February President Bush submitted his proposed 2007 budget to the Congress. The Administration’s budget request would freeze funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at the FY 2006 level of $28.578 billion. With the projected rate of inflation for biomedical research being 3.5% in FY 2007, NIH would, under the President’s proposal, be unable to support all its current grants and build on the successes of the past years.
The Senate in March narrowly approved a fiscal year 2007 budget resolution, after the addition of an amendment sponsored by Sens. Arlen Specter (R-PA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) that added $7 billion to health and education programs, including NIH. See how your Senators voted. The House of Representatives also passed a budget resolution, which after weeks of negotiations with leadership by a group of moderate Republicans, led by Rep. Mike Castle (DE), Nancy Johnson (CT), and Dave Reichert (WA), included a commitment to increase funding for health, education and training by $7 billion. Please note that the Budget Resolution provides the monetary parameters for appropriations, but does not guarantee that the additional funding of $7billion is appropriated.
The House Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations FY 2007 bill being considered funds the NIH at $28.258 billion, which is about $300,000 less than in FY 2006. The bill provides an $8.5 million increase to CDC's Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention Program, for a total of $53 million, and provides $1.5 million for the Rural and Community Access to Emergency Devices Program, rejecting the Bush administration's attempts to terminate it.
Due to inflation the bill in reality would result in a 4% budget reduction for NIH in FY 2007. Since the end of the NIH budget doubling, NIH's total purchasing power would decline by 11%. The bill would fund 656 fewer Research Project Grants than in 2006. Compared to three years ago, NIH would be funding 1750 fewer RPGs, thus reducing the opportunities for researchers to receive grants from NIH. It is unclear when the House will hold a vote on the appropriations bill. Many believe that a vote on the measure will be delayed until after the November elections.
In July the Senate approved its version of the FY 2007 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which includes $28.5 billion for NIH, $220 million (0.78%) more than the FY 2006 level, $200 million more than the Bush request and about $250 million more than the House bill. In addition, the Senate bill includes $100 million in spending for the CDC, $70 million more than the amount in the House bill, but $58 million less than in FY 2006.
Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, Education and Related Agencies, criticized the bill, adding, "NIH, the so-called jewel of the federal government, is $3.78 billion below the inflation-adjusted FY 2005 level".
While the Heart Rhythm Society appreciates Congress’ commitment to cutting the federal deficit by promoting fiscal restraint, we believe it important that a strong, sustained investment is made in the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). Support of these programs is vital to our nation’s health and global competitiveness. Each year, 1 million lives are saved thanks to advances in heart disease research that were supported in large part by the NIH over the past 30 years.
In the coming months the research community will need the support of Republican moderates to achieve any additional increases for NIH and other health programs for when the House and Senate appropriations bills go into conference.
