NIH DIRECTOR TESTIFIES BEFORE SENATE HELP SUBCOMMITTEE
On Tuesday, National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director Jay Bhattacharya testified before the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee on the FY 2026 budget request from the Administration. The President’s FY 2026 budget proposal for the NIH would significantly reduce funding to $27.5 billion, which is about 40 percent below the FY 2025 level. During the hearing, Dr. Bhattacharya took questions from both sides of the aisle on policies impacting NIH research funding, including from full Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME), who strongly criticized the budget for continuing the 15 percent cap on indirect costs. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Ranking Member on the Subcommittee, addressed a range of issues including the delay in awarding grant funding and NIH’s budget proposal to start forward funding grants.
