°®¶¹´«Ã½

The Honorable Cathy McMorris Rodgers Chair, House Energy and Commerce Committee U.S. House of Representatives 2125 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, D.C. 20515

Re: Reforming the National Institutes of Health: Framework for Discussion

Dear Chair McMorris Rogers:

On behalf of the more than 32,000 members of the American Society for °®¶¹´«Ã½ (ASM), thank you for this opportunity to respond to the Energy and Commerce Committee’s Framework for Reforming the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As one of the largest life science societies, ASM’s mission is to promote and advance the microbial sciences. NIH supports life-saving research and is an important source of funding for scientific research on bacteria, viruses, fungi and other microbes—areas of research in which many ASM members are engaged. We appreciate the committee’s interest in reauthorizing and strengthening the NIH and look forward to working with the committee to draft a reauthorization bill that meets the needs of the scientific community.

We thank Congress for its longstanding, bipartisan support for the NIH and for its commitment to funding the basic, translational and clinical microbial research supported by multiple NIH institutes and centers, particularly through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Recognizing the importance of biomedical research and the role of Congress in funding the federal agencies, both the Senate and House have worked in a bipartisan manner over the past several years to place the NIH budget back on the path of meaningful growth above inflation. Allocations of funding should follow scientific needs and opportunities identified by the scientific community and there are mechanisms at the agency to fund cross-cutting research and innovative ideas. 

As the largest federal funder of biomedical research, a major reorganization of NIH should be a thoughtful and deliberate process that includes extensive input from a broad set of stakeholders, including the scientific community. Otherwise, we risk disruptions to the scientific enterprise in the U.S. at a time when biomedical research is rapidly evolving. ASM would welcome the opportunity to participate in such discussions. 

Building on the foundation of long-term bipartisan commitments by Congress, NIH-funded researchers were able to rapidly pivot when SARS-CoV-2 emerged and the race to develop tests, vaccines and therapeutics commenced. Researchers built on decades of federally funded basic science and technological advances to develop safe and effective vaccines at record speed. This is a success story and exemplifies the value of robust, sustained and predictable funding for the NIH. The U.S. continues to face threats, known and unknown. Sustaining our investments is the only way we will seize the unparalleled scientific opportunities in microbial research that lie before us, and the only way we will be equipped to address the demands that future outbreaks will place on our society.

ASM agrees with the framework’s recommendation that federal research agencies like NIH should focus on supporting programs to better recruit, develop and sustain the biomedical research workforce, including keeping current early and mid-career scientists engaged in the work, the science and the frontier of innovation related to testing, lab composition and development and efficiencies in style of work processes. Congress has a role to play by providing the funding necessary to support training and early-career opportunities at NIH. 

In addition, we agree that it is critical that NIH policies support alternative means for funding public access to the results of federally funded research as federal agencies, including NIH, work to implement the administration's memorandum requiring agencies to make research freely available without delay by the end of 2025. Congress can assist the agency and research community by providing financial support to address these unequal additional burdens in future spending bills and through other strategies. Investing in infrastructure and services that are directly aligned with the research mission will be critical to laying the foundation for a more open and equitable system. 

Finally, ASM believes that research involving pathogens with enhanced pandemic potential can be conducted responsibly and safely. While biosafety is paramount, a ban on gain of function research—even if it is more narrowly defined—will set back scientific progress on anticipating, understanding and responding to the next infectious disease outbreak. Therefore, ASM opposes such a ban. 

We thank you for your leadership and appreciate your interest in modernizing the National Institutes of Health. If you have any questions, please contact Nicole Zimmerman, Senior Specialist, Federal Affairs at nzimmerman@asmusa.org.

Thank you,





Amalia Corby
Director of Federal Affairs
American Society for °®¶¹´«Ã½