Senate FY 2014 National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering Funding Bill

“The mission of NIH is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and then to apply that knowledge to enhance human health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability. No other entity in the world has performed that mission so successfully.

“Yet there are signs that other countries are beginning to close the gap. While China and India are investing heavily in biomedical research, NIH funding has dropped significantly, in real terms, since the end of the 5-year doubling in fiscal year 2003. An investigator’s chance of winning an NIH grant has fallen from approximately 3 in 10 a decade ago to roughly 1 in 6 today. At a time when the promise for medical advances has never been greater, the Nation cannot afford to lose any more ground in the life sciences.”

“Basic Research. -- The Committee urges the Director to maintain the NIH’s current focus on the funding of basic biomedical research. The purpose of basic research is to discover the nature and mechanics of disease and identify potential therapeutic avenues likely to lead to the prevention and treatment of human disease. Without this early scientific investigation, future development of treatments and cures would be impossible.”

“BRAIN Initiative. -- The Committee strongly commends NIH for leading the Brain Research through Application of Innovative Neurotechnologies [BRAIN] Initiative, a multi-agency effort that also involves the National Science Foundation and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency as well as several private sector partners. Numerous researchers are already working to accelerate the development and application of new technologies that will help explain how the brain records, processes, uses, stores, and retrieves information. The BRAIN Initiative will help catalyze and integrate these efforts. The Committee understands that this work may take decades before it results in cures or treatments, but could eventually help unlock the secrets behind diseases such as Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. The President’s budget requests $40,000,000 for this initiative in fiscal year 2014, to be pooled from several ICs [Institute and Centers] and the OD [Office of the Director]. The Committee supports that amount as an initial investment but awaits more detailed budget projections for future years.”