WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), a member of the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, today joined U.S. Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), HELP Committee Ranking Member Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and their Democratic colleagues on the HELP Committee in introducing the National Biomedical Research Act. The National Biomedical Research Act would increase funding for targeted biomedical research initiatives through a new, reliable funding stream supporting the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The purchasing power of the NIH has been cut by Congress for more than a decade. This funding boost will help restore the NIH budget to its 2006 levels, adjusted for biomedical inflation. In addition to Murphy, U.S. Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Al Franken (D-Minn.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) are original cosponsors of the legislation. 

"To see a loved one suffer from a cruel disease like cancer or Alzheimer's is to know true helplessness. When facing loss or suffering, there's nothing each of us wouldn't do for a cure, for more ‘good' days, or simply more time," said Murphy. "By passing this bill and giving the world's greatest minds the resources they need to learn more about - and ultimately cure - deadly diseases, we can provide hope to millions of families. The lifesaving research we do today at institutions like Yale and University of Connecticut will lead to life-changing innovation and hopefully prevent our kids from confronting that same, heart wrenching feeling of helplessness."

"Federal investment in medical research saves lives, spurs innovation and boosts our economy - but ‎Congress has neglected these critical investments for more than a decade,‎"‎ Warren said. "Any package of innovation bills coming out of the HELP Committee must include significant increases in funding for NIH and FDA. Anything less is just lip service."‎

"Democrats have made our goal very clear: we want to advance medical innovation that makes a difference for patients and families, and that means stronger investments in the NIH and the FDA," said Murray. "With this legislation, our scientists and researchers will have the tools, resources, and certainty that are critical to tackling some of our most pressing medical challenges, from heart disease to cancer. There is bipartisan agreement on the need to boost investments in innovative medical research, so I hope that our colleagues on the other side of the aisle will join us to advance this legislation and offer hope to patients and families nationwide."

The National Biomedical Research Act would create the Biomedical Innovation Fund, a new fund designed specifically to provide predictable investments in life-saving biomedical research conducted by leading scientists at the nation's top research institutions. The funding would support specific initiatives such as Vice President Biden's National Cancer Moonshot initiative, the Precision Medicine Initiative, grants for young emerging scientists, and other breakthrough research that will help accelerate the development and approval of new medicines, improve prevention, and increase understanding of life-threatening diseases. Right now, NIH rejects  nine of eleven grant proposals, one of the highest rejection rates in history and far below the 1/3 rate called for by agency leaders, because of a lack of resources. Predictability of funding for biomedical research will create stability for researchers and accelerate the pace of scientific advancements. 

To view a fact sheet on the National Biomedical Research Act, click here. 

To view the text of the National Biomedical Research Act, click here.