U.S. Senator Katie Britt is continuing to advocate for the disbursement of research funds for the National Institutes of Health.
Britt, along with 13 of her Republican colleagues, sent a letter Thursday to Russell Vought, the Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, requesting that President Donald Trump’s administration release the funds.
Trump signed the appropriations into law earlier this year, but the senators are concerned with how slowly the funds are getting released.
“Suspension of these appropriated funds – whether formally withheld or functionally delayed — could threaten Americans’ ability to access better treatments and limit our nation’s leadership in biomedical science,” the senators wrote in the letter.
According to Britt’s office, the legislation contains funding to support NIH initiatives across a range of critical research areas, including cancer, rare pediatric disorders and more.
“Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact. Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation,” the senators added in the letter.
Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Sen. Dave McCormick of Pennsylvania and Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas were among the senators that cosigned Britt’s letter.
In 2023, the University of Alabama at Birmingham was in the top 1% of all NIH-funded institutions, including private, public and international organizations.
Additionally, all six of UAB’s health-related schools were in the top 15 public universities in NIH funding in FY 2022.
Back in February, the NIH announced cuts in research funding that UAB said would jeopardize jobs and life-saving research.
See more: What would NIH funding cuts mean for Alabama? 5 things to know
Katie Britt vows to work with RFK Jr. after NIH funding cuts cause concern in Alabama
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