Rep. Jamie Raskin Statement on Delayed NIH Budget Hearing

Statement

Congressman Jamie Raskin (MD-08) has released the following statement after learning that an Appropriations hearing, set to examine President Trump's proposed $5.8 billion budget cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), has been delayed:

"As the Representative whose district includes NIH, I was taken aback when the Trump Administration proposed deep and shocking cuts to medical research on killer diseases like breast cancer, colon cancer, diabetes, asthma, and cystic fibrosis. What could conceivably justify the idea of slashing nearly $6 billion from NIH, an institution that has saved the lives of countless Americans and is the source of hope for millions? What could be behind this proposal?

"The answer is: no one knows, not even the Trump Administration. They just pulled the plug on scheduled Appropriations hearings on the NIH budget, which suggests that the Administration has no idea how to defend these indefensible proposals. They clearly don't want the leading research scientists and physicians in America testifying about the devastation that would be caused by this outrageous proposal. And they have nothing to say themselves.

"This is no way to govern or to legislate. The Trump Administration should reverse course and stop its assaults on the medical and scientific research of America."

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