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Aug 25, 2023

Debt ceiling deal could mean science research cuts

By Sarah Owermohle June 1, 2023 WASHINGTON — Researchers and health care

By Sarah Owermohle June 1, 2023

WASHINGTON — Researchers and health care advocates are warning that the debt ceiling deal would mean a harsh cut for science agencies like the National Institutes of Health.

The debt ceiling deal hammered out by the White House and congressional leadership this weekend would freeze non-defense and veterans’ health spending at 2023 levels for next year and allow only a 1% bump in 2025. Individual agencies’ budgets can still rise and fall under this new cap, as long as the total spending number stays at 2023 level.

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But that could end up hammering the NIH budget, which has steadily climbed over the years as Congress channeled billions of dollars to research on cancer, Alzheimer's disease, and rare diseases. The NIH's overall budget nearly doubled from $25.8 billion in 2003 to $42.9 billion in 2022.

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Washington Correspondent

Sarah Owermohle is a Washington correspondent at STAT, reporting on the Biden administration's health goals, federal health policy and politics.

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