Research!America issued the following statement today in response to research funding levels in the President?s FY2010 budget proposal. The statement is included below and is available online.
President's FY2010 Budget: Research!America Disappointed in Research Funding Levels
WASHINGTON?May 8, 2009?Research!America expressed concern over research funding in the FY2010 budget proposal that the President released yesterday. The proposal includes just a 1.4% increase for the National Institutes of Health over FY2009, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality are essentially flat-funded. The National Science Foundation fared better, with a nearly 8% proposed increase.
Research!America's chair, The Honorable John Edward Porter, said, "While we are disappointed in these numbers and had hoped for far better, we will work with Congress to improve them and look forward to stronger budgets in the future."
Porter added, "Based upon the President's speech to the National Academy of Sciences, the portents for science under this President should be strong. The $10 billion in stimulus funding for NIH, and the President's stated goal of devoting more than 3% of GDP to research and development are positive steps. To keep moving in this direction, we must work for strong, steady, sustained annual increases for NIH, CDC, AHRQ and other scientific research agencies for next year and the years ahead."
Mary Woolley, president and CEO of Research!America, said, "The recovery funding for NIH was substantial, but CDC fared less well. When that funding ends after 2010, the drop-off could be harmful, particularly for NIH, without a stronger base through appropriations. We've seen the effects of roller-coaster budgets for research. In down cycles, young scientists cannot find funding, promising research sits idle, and Americans suffer health and economic ills without a sustained national commitment to research and innovation.
"The public has great expectations for medical and scientific research. We know from opinion polls that Americans value the contributions of science to our quality of life but think we aren't making enough progress," Woolley continued. "We urge Congress to build on its good work in the recovery act by making research a priority in FY2010 appropriations."
Research!America is the nation's largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, it is supported by more than 500 member organizations, which represent more than 125 million Americans. For more information, visit www.researchamerica.org.
President's FY2010 Budget: Research!America Disappointed in Research Funding Levels
WASHINGTON?May 8, 2009?Research!America expressed concern over research funding in the FY2010 budget proposal that the President released yesterday. The proposal includes just a 1.4% increase for the National Institutes of Health over FY2009, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality are essentially flat-funded. The National Science Foundation fared better, with a nearly 8% proposed increase.
Research!America's chair, The Honorable John Edward Porter, said, "While we are disappointed in these numbers and had hoped for far better, we will work with Congress to improve them and look forward to stronger budgets in the future."
Porter added, "Based upon the President's speech to the National Academy of Sciences, the portents for science under this President should be strong. The $10 billion in stimulus funding for NIH, and the President's stated goal of devoting more than 3% of GDP to research and development are positive steps. To keep moving in this direction, we must work for strong, steady, sustained annual increases for NIH, CDC, AHRQ and other scientific research agencies for next year and the years ahead."
Mary Woolley, president and CEO of Research!America, said, "The recovery funding for NIH was substantial, but CDC fared less well. When that funding ends after 2010, the drop-off could be harmful, particularly for NIH, without a stronger base through appropriations. We've seen the effects of roller-coaster budgets for research. In down cycles, young scientists cannot find funding, promising research sits idle, and Americans suffer health and economic ills without a sustained national commitment to research and innovation.
"The public has great expectations for medical and scientific research. We know from opinion polls that Americans value the contributions of science to our quality of life but think we aren't making enough progress," Woolley continued. "We urge Congress to build on its good work in the recovery act by making research a priority in FY2010 appropriations."
Research!America is the nation's largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, it is supported by more than 500 member organizations, which represent more than 125 million Americans. For more information, visit www.researchamerica.org.