Lawmakers Enthusiastically Reject Trump's Proposal To Cut NIH Funding

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a bipartisan bill last week providing $36.1 billion for the health institutes. Senator Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said it was the third consecutive year in which he had secured a $2 billion increase for the agency, and, in a separate hearing the audience erupted in applause when Senator Lamar Alexander, Republican of Tennessee, announced the boost in funding.

The New York Times: Congress Rejects Trump Proposals To Cut Health Research Funds

Back in March, when President Trump released the first draft of his budget proposal for the coming fiscal year, he asked lawmakers for deep cuts to one of their favorite institutions, the National Institutes of Health — part of a broad reordering of priorities, away from science and social spending, toward defense and border security. Six months later, Congress has not only rejected the president’s N.I.H. proposal; lawmakers from both parties have joined forces to increase spending on biomedical research — and have bragged about it. (Pear, 9/11)

In other news from Capitol Hill —

The Hill: Booker Signs On To Sanders's 'Medicare-For-All' Bill

Sen. Cory Booker is throwing his support behind a "Medicare for all" bill being introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), becoming the latest Democrat floated as a 2020 contender to back the legislation. The New Jersey senator told NJTV News that he would sign on as a co-sponsor of the bill, which is scheduled to be rolled out on Wednesday. (Carney, 9/11)

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