NIH Sets Interim Funding Levels for Non-Competing Grants while Congress Continues Deliberation on FY 2008 NIH Funding

October 12, 2007 – The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has announced how it intends to manage non-competing grants while funding has not yet been determined for the fiscal year that began October 1. As in FY 2006 and FY 2007, when Congress also failed to pass its appropriations bills before the start of the fiscal year, NIH will fund non-competing grants at approximately 80 percent of the previously committed amount. According to NIH, agency officials "will consider upward adjustments to these levels after the final appropriation is enacted, but expects institutions to monitor their expenditures carefully during this period."

Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has indicated the Senate will begin consideration of its version of the FY 2008 funding bill next week (the week of October 15th). The House of Representatives approved FY 2008 appropriations legislation for the NIH and other Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) in late July.

Though the proposed funding levels in both the House and Senate Labor-HHS funding bills fall far short of the 6.7 percent increase for NIH advocated by ASH and the biomedical research community, President Bush has already indicated his intention to veto the bill because of the increases that are provided in these bills for NIH (a 1.9 percent net increase in the House bill; a 2.8 percent net increase in the Senate) and other health and education. As a result, congressional leaders have raised the possibility of combining the Labor-HHS bill with the Defense funding bill or another similar bill that the President views as a priority in order to lessen the likelihood of a veto.

With the start of federal fiscal year (FY) 2008 having begun on October 1 and no appropriations bills passed, Congress passed a continuing resolution (CR) to continue funding NIH and other federal programs at current levels until November 16 or until Congress completes FY 2008 funding bills, whichever comes first.

It is a very tight year for the entire federal budget and grassroots support for NIH funding remains critical. It is important for ASH members to continue to weigh in with Congress about the need for increased funding for NIH. Please visit the ASH Advocacy Center to send an e-mail to your Senators to strengthen support for NIH funding.