[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 34 (Thursday, February 26, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 PROVIDING FOR CONSIDERATION OF H.R. 1105, OMNIBUS APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 
                                  2009

                                 ______
                                 

                               speech of

                          HON. DAVID E. PRICE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 25, 2009

  Mr. PRICE of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of 
the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) Program at the 
National Institutes of Health (NIH). The CTSA program is an important 
and transformative initiative designed to improve the way biomedical 
research is conducted across the, country, reduce the time it takes for 
laboratory discoveries to become treatments for patients, engage 
communities in clinical research efforts, and train the next generation 
of clinical and translational researchers.
  As the Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Subcommittee 
noted in its subcommittee mark, the program has the potential to create 
a new paradigm for clinical and translational research.
  I am proud that two of the 38 current CTSA sites, the University of 
North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, are in my district. 
These two universities have a track record of excellence, and I am 
pleased that NIH has recognized them as strong research campuses.
  Unfortunately, nearly level funding for NIH over the past few years 
has severely limited the size of the award that can be made to these 
and the other CTSA-recipient institutions. In addition to hindering the 
important work being done at the current CTSA sites, the funding 
challenges have encumbered implementation of the program and threaten 
to curtail its intended size of 60 sites.
  As a firm supporter of NIH, I commend Chairman Obey on the increased 
NIH funding in both the FY09 Omnibus Appropriations bill and the 
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act and thank him for designating 
for the CTSA program in the Omnibus bill. I look forward to working 
with my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to provide robust 
funding for this important program in the FY10 appropriations cycle.

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