We are disappointed that the omnibus bill will only provide $28.94 billion in program funding for NIH -- which equates to 0.46% increase or $133 million over last year.  As you know, a previously passed Labor-H appropriations bill provided a 3.1% increase to the NIH, but was vetoed by the President.  The President is expected to sign the omnibus bill into law. 

We are sincerely disappointed at this lack of funding for NIH.  This is the fifth consecutive year that federal funding for biomedical research will not keep pace with inflation, which jeopardizes available funding for Parkinson’s-specific, translational, and clinical research at NIH.  

The Parkinson’s Action Network thanks the advocacy community for weighing in with their Members of Congress about critical National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding over the past several weeks.  PAN appreciates the efforts of all Parkinson’s community members who made their voices heard on the Hill.  Unfortunately, this issue has become an uphill battle.  We must re-double our efforts next year and insist on a return to reasonable funding for biomedical research.