The ASBMB urges passage of FY20 omnibus with investments in science

Today’s two-part omnibus spending package — which would fund the government for fiscal year 2020 — is a praiseworthy piece of bipartisan legislation that prioritizes investments in the American scientific enterprise. As the details of the spending plan come into focus, lawmakers should be commended for their commitment to investments in scientific research that ultimately will lead to breakthroughs that will improve the quality of life and well-being of not only Americans but also of populations around the globe.

Specifically, we applaud the continuation of investments in the National Institutes of Health. If passed, the legislation would make FY20 the fifth year in a row of multibillion-dollar increases, helping the NIH’s budget grow to a record $41.7 billion. Perhaps most importantly, the legislation sets a minimum 3% increase in funding at each of the NIH’s 28 institutes and centers. This ensures that research of all kinds, from discovery to clinical efforts, will benefit.

The National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy’s Office of Science are also slated to see increases in FY20.

We appreciate that Congress and the White House support scientific research, and we thank Democratic and Republican negotiators for their hard work and support for the research that our members do in laboratories across the country.

We urge swift passage of this legislation in Congress and ask that President Donald Trump sign it into law.