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Durbin presses NIH nominee Bhattacharya on research funding cuts
Durbin urged Bhattacharya to oppose Trump and Musk’s NIH funding cuts, protect medical research, and reverse the agency’s workforce reductions.
Representative image / Stanford/ SenatorDick Durbin
U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin met with Jay Bhattacharya on Feb. 26, President Donald Trump’s nominee for Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to discuss concerns over research funding and recent workforce reductions.
The meeting comes ahead of Bhattacharya’s confirmation hearing scheduled for March 5, 2025, by the Senate Help, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.
During the meeting, Durbin raised alarms over President Trump and Elon Musk’s reported efforts to cap NIH’s “indirect costs” at 15 percent, a move that could severely impact research funding. He also addressed the dismissal of 1,200 NIH employees, a move that critics argue could hinder advancements in medical research.
“All the progress we have made at NIH and all the progress we hope to make is in danger because of Donald Trump and Elon Musk,” Durbin, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate NIH Caucus, stated.
“They are carrying out an unprecedented and devastating campaign to cut research funding for cancers, ALS, Alzheimer’s, dementia, and infectious diseases. During today’s meeting, I asked Bhattacharya if he would reverse the damage that has already been done at NIH and if he would stand up to the President and Musk—lives depend on it.”
In an effort to safeguard NIH’s mission, Durbin sought unanimous consent to pass a resolution reaffirming NIH’s critical role in medical progress. The resolution, co-sponsored by Senators Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), was blocked by Senator John Barrasso (R-WY).
A longtime advocate for medical research, Durbin has championed legislation such as the American Cures Act, aimed at ensuring consistent funding increases for major research institutions. Over the past decade, his efforts have contributed to a 60 percent increase in NIH funding.
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