On August 7, the Presidents of PAA and APC sent comments to the Chair of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) in response to a document that the Committee recently released, “Reforming the National Institutes of Health (NIH): Framework for Discussion.” The document recommends numerous policy changes, including a dramatic restructuring of the NIH that would reduce the existing 27 Institutes and Centers (ICs) to 15, eliminate the National Institute of Child and Human Development, and rename the National Institute on Aging the National Institute on Dementia.
The Committee is requesting public comments on its document through COB Friday, August 16. If you would like to submit your own comments, please do so by sending an email to NIHReform@mail.house.gov. Please feel free to reiterate any of the points that PAA and APC expressed in their organizational comments.
Please note the Framework document is NOT a bill nor a formal legislative proposal. However, given the House Energy and Commerce Committee has jurisdiction over the NIH and could eventually consider legislation affecting the NIH, this is an important opportunity to communicate with the Committee early in the process on a document that could inform future NIH reform legislation.
If you have any questions, please contact Mary Jo Mitchell, Director, PAA/APC Government and Public Affairs.