As Chair of the Steering and Outreach Committee, Klobuchar today led a meeting with scientists and medical research advocates to discuss how research funded by the NIH leads to medical breakthroughs and deserves strong support

At the meeting, Klobuchar called for an increased investment in the NIH and highlighted legislation she has cosponsored to boost federal investment in cutting-edge biomedical research

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar today highlighted her efforts to boost biomedical research at a Steering and Outreach Committee Meeting on the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As Chair of the Steering and Outreach Committee, Klobuchar led a meeting with scientists and medical research advocates to discuss how research funded by the NIH leads to medical breakthroughs and deserves strong support. At the meeting, Klobuchar called for an increased investment in the NIH and highlighted legislation she has cosponsored to boost federal investment in cutting-edge biomedical research.

“To keep our country at the cutting edge of medical innovation, we need to invest in research that will help unleash the next generation of scientific breakthroughs,” Klobuchar said. “The NIH long has been the bedrock of our nation’s biomedical innovation and currently supports research in every state across the country. This research not only leads to breakthrough treatments and lifesaving cures, it also stimulates our economy and creates high-quality jobs. We must restore our commitment to the NIH and help ensure America continues to lead the world in innovation and discovery.”

Klobuchar has long been a leader in efforts to provide strong funding for medical research and the work of the NIH. She has consistently pushed her colleagues to support NIH funding in budget and appropriations negotiations, and spoken out on the Senate floor about the damage of sequestration on the NIH. Earlier this year, she cosponsored the American Cures Act, a bill that would authorize an additional investment of five percent per year at the NIH, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and other research institutes. This steady, long-term investment would allow these vital research agencies to plan and manage strategic growth while maximizing efficiencies. The bill would also create a budget cap adjustment through the remaining years of the Budget Control Act so that additional appropriations do not trigger reductions in other discretionary funding.

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