Congressman Fred Upton is calling on the director of the Office of Management and Budget to express opposition to large cuts proposed for the National Institutes of Health. Upton has co-authored a letter with Colorado Democrat Diana DeGette praising the NIH for the work it does to research diseases. They write the NIH “saves millions of lives every year making the basic discoveries that allow businesses to develop new treatments, medications, and cures for patients.” They also cite the economic benefits of having a well-funded NIH. Just last year, Upton and DeGette worked together on securing passage of the 21st Century Cures Act, which boosted funding to the NIH. President Trump’s proposed federal budget would slash the NIH’s funding by $5.8 billion, or 20%.
