Support from Administration and Congress Praised, Must be Sustained
WASHINGTON—October 21, 2009—In recognition of National Medical Research Day today, Research!America praised the Administration and Congress for their leadership and asked for their continued support for health, medical and scientific research funding.
"For their bold vision and commitment to medical and health research, Research!America thanks President Obama as well as Representative David Obey (D-WI), chair of the House Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Subcommittee; and Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), chair of the Senate Labor, HHS and Education Appropriations Subcommittee," said Mary Woolley, president and CEO of Research!America."Their support, particularly for NIH funding in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), has given us opportunities for the future and restores science to a place of national priority. Our health, our economy and our future depend on it."
Woolley added, "If we are to build on the foundation that ARRA funding has created, we need a sustained investment in medical research, particularly for FY 2011 after all ARRA funds have been obligated. So we ask President Obama, please keep your promise to Americans to make NIH a pillar of our long-term economic growth strategy and, Representative Obey and Senator Harkin, continue your forward-looking support for federal research funding. The public expects no less."
Research!America recently re-launched Your Congress-Your Health, an online questionnaire that asks all members of Congress to tell Americans their views on research funding, health reform and related topics. Visitors can see if their members of Congress have responded and, if not, use the links on the site to remind them of the importance of investing in research.
Research!America is the nation's largest not-for-profit public education and advocacy alliance working to make research to improve health a higher national priority. Founded in 1989, Research!America is supported by 500 member organizations that represent the voices of 125 million Americans. Visit www.researchamerica.org.
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