Vought’s Move: $15 Billion in NIH Funding Frozen, Then Thawed Amid Power Struggle
The Trump administration’s ongoing efforts to control the power of the purse have led to a significant development in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding saga. An estimated $15 billion allocated by lawmakers for life-saving biomedical research was temporarily frozen and then released on Tuesday.
According to The Wall Street Journal, the initial decision to withhold the funding came from Russell Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Vought has expansive views on presidential power and has advocated for "fundamental reform" at the NIH. In an interview with CBS News over the weekend, Vought defended holding up billions in congressionally allocated funding for research on cancer and cardiovascular disease by claiming that the NIH has been "weaponized against the American people."
This move comes as part of a larger effort by the Trump administration to challenge and undermine a 1974 budget law known as the Impoundment Act. This law prevents the president from unilaterally overturning spending decisions made by Congress. The nonpartisan Government Accountability Office has issued two rulings that funds have been illegally withheld already by the Trump administration, with the true scale of the illegal withholdings remaining unclear.
The Impact on Research and Funding
NIH leaders received a four-sentence memo Tuesday afternoon telling them of a pause in all NIH grant research funding. This largely funds critical biomedical research at universities, academic medical centers, and other independent research institutions in the US. Among the countless advances attributed to NIH funding, researchers credit it for the 30-percent decline in US cancer deaths since 1990.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services confirmed the funding pause to journalists. US Senator Patty Murray (D-Wash.), vice chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, estimated that the amount of funding being frozen was roughly $15 billion. The decision to withhold funding has been met with opposition from lawmakers, who argue that it is an attack on medical research.
The Reversal and Response
But later Tuesday, amid uproar around the funding freeze, the decision was reportedly reversed. The Wall Street Journal reported that the reversal occurred after senior White House officials intervened. On social media, the communications director for the OMB said that funding was merely "undergoing a programmatic review while we were waiting for more information from NIH and is being released."
However, Sen. Murray noted that the OMB did not provide any evidence that the funds are being released. In a statement, Murray lamented the damage the Trump administration has already done to the scientific and medical community, including already holding up $5 billion in funding while "lying about waste, fraud, and abuse" at the NIH.
She accused Trump and Vought of working to "decimate lifesaving research in this country." Murray continued, "We can’t immediately undo the massive brain drain, the shuttered clinical trials, and the damage this administration is causing. Medical miracles don’t happen overnight, and you can’t turn lifesaving research on and off at the drop of a dime."
The Impact on the Scientific Community
The funding freeze has had significant implications for researchers across the country. Many have expressed concern about the long-term effects of the freeze on medical research. In an interview with The Washington Post, Dr. Francis Collins, director of the NIH, stated that the freeze would have a "profound impact" on the agency’s ability to fund research.
The freeze has also raised concerns among lawmakers and researchers about the Trump administration’s motives for withholding funding. Some argue that it is an attempt to undermine Congress’s authority over spending decisions. Others see it as a power play by the White House to assert control over the NIH.
Conclusion
The recent developments in the NIH funding saga highlight the ongoing struggle between the Trump administration and Congress over control of the purse strings. The $15 billion funding freeze and subsequent reversal have significant implications for medical research and the scientific community.
As lawmakers continue to grapple with the issue, it remains to be seen how this will play out in the long term. One thing is certain: the stakes are high, and the impact on medical research could be far-reaching. The NIH funding saga serves as a stark reminder of the importance of separating powers in government and ensuring that each branch has a say in important spending decisions.
In the end, it is up to Congress and the White House to work together to ensure that medical research continues uninterrupted. As Sen. Murray noted, "This administration can—and must—stem the bleeding by ending its attacks on medical research and getting this funding out the door.