APLU Statement on House Passage of 21st Century Cures Act

Washington, DC — The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) today released the following statement following the resounding House passage of H.R. 6, the 21st Century Cures Act

“Today’s strong, bipartisan vote in favor of the 21st Century Cures Act is a significant step forward in providing the National Institutes of Health (NIH) with the increased funding the agency needs to make up for over a decade of flat and declining resources. The NIH funds scientific research at public universities in every state, and that research is what yields the cures and treatments that patients and families across the country are anxiously awaiting.

“The $8.75 billion mandatory Innovation Fund for NIH combined with the authorized annual increases of $1.5 billion in the bill would allow the agency’s budget to catch up to where it should be at this time. The 21st Century Cures Act would set a steady path for NIH and would help prevent an American innovation deficit that is looming as other countries’ biomedical research investments have rapidly increased, while U.S. investments have stagnated.

“We thank Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Representative Diana DeGette (D-CO) for leading this effort along with other key members of the House, and thank all of the 334 representatives who voted in favor of 21st Century Cures. We now look forward to working with the Senate to continue moving this important legislation forward.”