[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 10 (Tuesday, February 8, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S488]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             FUNDING FOR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, I am pleased to join my colleagues, 
Senator Specter, as primary cosponsor of a sense of the Senate 
resolution, introduced yesterday, that puts the Senate on record that 
funding for NIH should be increased by $2.7 billion in Fiscal Year 
2001. NIH is the premier medical research institution in the world--
research funded by NIH is key to maintaining the quality of our health 
care and key to finding preventive measures, cures and the most cost 
effective treatments for the major illnesses and conditions that strike 
Americans.
  Two years ago, our Appropriations Subcommittee provided NIH with a $2 
billion increase to set us on a five-year course to double NIH funding 
over five years. Last year, our Subcommittee was able to secure a $2.3 
billion increase for NIH--continuing on the course to double NIH 
funding over five years. A $2.7 billion increase for NIH in Fiscal Year 
2001 would keep us on track to double NIH in the five years.
  I was disappointed that the President's budget which we received 
today only requested a $1 billion increase for NIH. Funding biomedical 
research is especially important now when research on stem cells and 
progress made on the Human Genome project offer such promise. I hope to 
work closely with Senator Specter this year to build on last year's 
increase for NIH as we move to doubling funding for NIH by 2003.

                          ____________________