Proposed NIH Cuts Hit Bipartisan Opposition in Congress

Both Democrats and Republications criticize the Trump administration’s plan to cut funding for biomedical research.

Written byDiana Kwon

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The Trump administration’s proposed $5.8 billion slash to US National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding has, as many expected, encountered bipartisan opposition in Congress.

Congress makes the final decision about budgets, and representatives from both political parties have criticized the proposed cuts. The cuts could have “catastrophic results” for patients and researchers, Representative Nita Lowey (D-NY), the senior Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, told The New York Times.

“I’m extremely concerned about the potential impact of the 18 percent cut,” Representative Tom Cole (R-OK), a Republican and chairman of the House Appropriations subcommittee responsible for the NIH told the New York Times. He added that “this committee and certainly me, personally, will be very hesitant” to support the proposal. Cole told STAT News that ...

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Meet the Author

Diana Kwon
Diana is a freelance science journalist who covers the life sciences, health, and academic life. She’s a regular contributor to The Scientist and her work has appeared in several other publications, including Scientific American, Knowable, and Quanta. Diana was a former intern at The Scientist and she holds a master’s degree in neuroscience from McGill University. She’s currently based in Berlin, Germany.
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