Please join me in urging Congress to restore full funding for the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute, and to reaffirm the Commonwealth’s commitment to advancing medical research and supporting future scientists and health professionals.

For decades, the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute have been the foundation of the nation’s biomedical research, supporting lifesaving discoveries in cancer, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, infectious diseases, and more.

The NCI funds essential research at designated cancer centers in Pennsylvania, including the Abramson Cancer Center, the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, the Penn State Cancer Institute, and the Fox Chase Cancer Center. These centers advance prevention, early detection, clinical trials, and community outreach.

In 2023, cancer resulted in the deaths of approximately 27,460 individuals in Pennsylvania, establishing it as the second leading cause of death in the state. Low-income, working-class, and rural families experienced disproportionately high mortality rates due to limited access to research-driven care and clinical trials.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) allocates over:

• $2.2 billion annually to research institutions within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania,
• Supporting over 21,000 jobs; and
•  Generating more than $5 billion in economic activity statewide.

The Fiscal Year 2025 federal budget, which was signed into law, included a $2.7 billion reduction in NIH funding and a historic 37% cut to the NCI, marking the most significant reduction in public medical research funding in over fifty years.

These funding cuts have already led to the cancellation or defunding of hundreds of clinical trials and research grants across the nation, putting both patient care and scientific advancement at risk. I hope you will join me in this effort.