Congressman Castro Calls on Trump Administration to Reverse Harmful Cuts to Medical Research in Texas
Read Friday’s Letter HERE
WASHINGTON — On Friday, Congressman Joaquin Castro (TX-20), Congresswoman Lizzie Fletcher (TX-07) and all Democrats in the Texas delegation to Congress sent an urgent request for the Acting Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to reverse harmful changes in the funding structure for federal research grants that could risk lifesaving medical research in Texas and across the country. While a federal judge has temporarily halted these changes, the future of the funding remains uncertain.
“Texas leads the way in medical innovation and stands ready to put its best and brightest minds in biotech research to work solving our biggest and most complex health care problems. Currently, NIH funds 4,400 active projects totaling $2.5 billion in Texas. The recently announced cuts to indirect costs, however, threaten to devastate medical health research in our state. Because indirect costs are used for expenses like office space, equipment, clerical staff, IT support, lab operations, legal operations, and salaries of administrators—the things that keep research moving forward—we are already hearing from institutions in our districts that if these cuts go into effect, there will be significant financial impacts leading to layoffs, lab closures, and suspension of clinical trials,” the members wrote.
“Recent advances in biomedical and health sciences—from immunotherapy as a cancer treatment, to the highly effective COVID-19 vaccines—demonstrate the strengths and successes of the U.S. biomedical enterprise. The efforts to cut funding for the largest funder of biomedical research in the world is dangerous and will put the United States at a disadvantage and stifle life-saving innovation. These cuts are not only damaging, they are prohibited by law. Since 2018, Congress has specifically included language in appropriations bills, most recently the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, banning the NIH from making changes to how indirect costs are determined. While these announced cuts are temporarily on hold by court order, we urge you to withdraw the notice as soon as possible,” the members continued.
The letter was additionally signed by Reps. Al Green (TX-09), Veronica Escobar (TX-16), Sylvester Turner (TX-18), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Julie Johnson (TX-32), Marc Veasey (TX-33), Vicente Gonzalez (TX-34), Greg Casar (TX-35), and Lloyd Doggett (TX-37).