Raising A Question of the Privileges of the House

Floor Speech

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Ms. DelBENE. Mr. Speaker, one thing we should be talking about are the important investments that we make in medical research.

The United States leads the world in medical research and innovation. Without our investments, more people would be dying from cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Mr. Speaker, medical breakthroughs of tomorrow are at risk because of Trump's research cuts at the National Institutes of Health. These cuts will be especially felt in my home State of Washington, where we are leaders in advancing world-class scientific research that saves lives.

Washington is home to the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, where I recently visited to highlight the devastating impacts of these cuts on the 40,000 patients that they serve each year.

In fiscal year 2024, Washington researchers were awarded nearly $1.3 billion in NIH funding that supports 12,000 jobs in our State. One of my constituents works at an organization that is fighting autoimmune diseases. It is 80 percent funded by NIH investments. She is worried about the devastating impacts that these cuts would have on the patients who rely on their work.

I started my career in medical research, and I know what losing funding or even the threat of it being cut off could have on institutions and their patients.

The consequences of the President's decision will be felt in so many ways. Labs could go dark. Patients could be kicked off of lifesaving critical trials. New cures could be delayed. Future innovators could abandon the field.

The President must stop the senseless attack on the research that saves money but, most importantly, saves lives.

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