U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell, along with several colleagues, has endorsed a letter to Russell Vought, Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget. The letter, initiated by Senator Katie Britt, calls for the full disbursement of funds appropriated to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as per the Fiscal Year 2025 Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act. These funds are crucial for supporting NIH research across various fields such as cancer and cardiovascular disease.
The senators expressed concern over delays in fund disbursement that could impact essential research and employment in the U.S. “We are concerned by the slow disbursement rate of FY25 NIH funds, as it risks undermining critical research and the thousands of American jobs it supports,” they stated. They emphasized that any suspension or delay in these funds might hinder access to improved treatments and affect America’s standing in biomedical science.
The letter also stressed a commitment to responsible use of NIH funds. “We share your commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs,” said the senators. They affirmed confidence in Secretary Kennedy and Director Bhattacharya’s ability to maintain high standards in NIH-funded research through transparency and alignment with national interests.
Senators John Boozman, Shelley Moore Capito, Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Lindsey Graham, Dave McCormick, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, Tim Scott, Dan Sullivan, Thom Tillis, and Todd Young also supported this initiative.
