14 Senate Republicans Urge White House to Release Withheld NIH Funds

Senator Katie Britt and 13 other Republican senators have sent a letter urging the Trump administration to release National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding that has been withheld for months despite congressional approval. The GOP senators warned that the slow disbursement of funds risks undermining critical biomedical research, threatening thousands of American jobs, and limiting the nation's leadership in health science. The funding delays stem from the administration's review process to ensure compliance with Trump’s directive to end federal support for diversity, equity, and inclusion programs, which led to the cancellation of over 2,100 NIH grants worth more than $9 billion. While the senators expressed support for White House Budget Chief Russell Vought's commitment to responsible use of NIH funds and confidence in Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, they stressed that continued withholding could erode public trust and hinder progress on vital health challenges. Signatories include prominent Senate Appropriations Committee members who emphasize that NIH funding is crucial for research on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and rare pediatric disorders. The senators call for a balance between accountability and timely funding to ensure research projects are not disrupted before results can be realized.