On February 3, the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) held a hearing with key witness Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Although the title “Modernizing the National Institutes of Health: Faster Discoveries, More Cures,” suggested a focus on agency efforts to improve the health of Americans, many senators questioned Dr. Bhattacharya on recent developments and controversies, including unfilled leadership positions, funding disruptions, and the ongoing measles epidemic.
Opening Remarks
Chair Bill Cassidy, MD (R-LA), opened the hearing by emphasizing the need to modernize the agency, develop life saving cures, and shed light on uncertainty surrounding NIH grant applications and cancellations. Cassidy encouraged the agency to better support university-led research, use AI to improve access to the findings of NIH-funded research, and asked how Congress can help strengthen the public’s trust in NIH and federally-funded research.
Next, Ranking Member Bernie Sanders’ (I-VT) lamented the setbacks that have occurred under the Trump administration, including grant cancellations and historic cuts to Medicaid. He argued that President Trump is failing in his promise to “Make America Healthy Again,” improve cancer research, and lower the cost of prescription drugs for all Americans.
In his testimony, NIH Director Bhattacharya signaled his support for modernizing the agency. He emphasized that, despite the rise of chronic diseases in the U.S., NIH is still making crucial discoveries in the world of biomedicine, including developing two new gene therapies that cure sickle cell anemia. He addressed ongoing reforms, including the improvement of efficiency and coordination through restructuring the core functions of the Office of the Director (OD). Additionally, he offered that NIH’s standard of success will no longer be based on the number of scientific papers a project produces, but rather how that project has contributed to population health and scientific discovery.
Committee Member Questions and Concerns
Senators on both sides of the aisle raised a wide range of concerns related to public confidence in NIH, the agency’s leadership vacuum, staffing shortfalls, and multiyear-funding. Many of these concerns echo those put forth by the biomedical and behavioral research community, including FABBS scientists.
Senator Cassidy emphasized the need for serious reform to address the loss of public trust in science and noted that education must play a central role in rebuilding confidence. Dr. Bhattacharya agreed, but there were disagreements about whether certain policies – such as the new NIH Public Access Policy and the changes in the childhood vaccine schedule – would improve or further harm trust.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) pressed Dr. Bhattacharya on the increasing number of vacancies in institute and center (IC) advisory councils (ACs). She noted that grants cannot be funded without approval from ACs and warned that grantmaking may be delayed if outgoing AC members are not replaced. Dr. Bhattacharya responded that such delays are unlikely — ICs have been ordered to submit AC nominations —but Murray pushed for a report on how the agency plans to tackle this issue. To help address this, FABBS is currently soliciting recommendations for scientists willing to be considered for these positions.
Similarly, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) asked Dr. Bhattacharya about the process and timeline for appointing permanent directors to the 15 ICs currently operating with Acting Directors. Dr. Bhattacharya noted that he has already made two recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and that the process is being guided by internal scientific staff, not politics. Later in the hearing, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) pressed the Director on why external experts are excluded from these search committees. Dr. Bhattacharya claimed including experts could slow down the hiring process, but Baldwin disagreed and pointed to new language in the appropriations bill that guides IC director search processes.
Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) warned that the administration’s reduced support for medical research could jeopardize America’s global scientific leadership. She was particularly concerned about funding cuts and grant cancellations sending harmful signals to young scientists that it may be better to train and work abroad rather than in the U.S. She suggested that NIH increase its investment in faculty from smaller institutions who put a lot of their time and energy into training young scientists. Along with Senator Murkowski, Senator Collins also urged Dr. Bhattacharya to continue to fund health disparities research.
Finally, Senators Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Baldwin asked Dr. Bhattacharya about NIH’s use of the multi-year funding mechanism in 2025 and going forward. Hassan noted that NIH funded 300 fewer grants in 2025, a consequence of the increased use of multi-year funding. Baldwin agreed that this approach has no real benefit but several major consequences. She dismissed Dr. Bhattacharya’s disagreement with that assessment and highlighted new language in the appropriations bill that limits the agency’s use of this funding mechanism going forward.
Closing Remarks
NIH Director Dr. Bhattacharya reiterated that the U.S. remains the world’s leader in biomedical research. He believes it is imperative to responsibly steward taxpayer dollars and support young scientists. This hearing affirmed both bipartisan support for the agency as well as bipartisan concern over current policies and future developments.
