Joint Funding Resolution Provides NIH with $620 Million Increase in FY 2007

February 15 - President Bush signed a $463.5 billion spending package to fund much of the federal government for the remainder of FY 2007. The House of Representatives approved the Joint Funding resolution [also referred to as the full-year FY 2007 continuing resolution (CR) (H.J. Res 20)] by a vote of 286-140 January 31 and the Senate followed February 14 by a vote of 81-15. The spending measure fills the gap left by the collapse of the budget process under Republican rule last fall.

The Joint Funding resolution provides $28.9 billion for NIH in FY 2007, an increase of $620 million (2.2 percent) over FY 2006.The Joint Funding resolution provides the National Institutes of Health with a $620 million increase to $28.931 billion in FY2007.

The significant NIH increase that was included in the Joint Funding resolution is a tremendous victory for biomedical researchers and all those who support it. While the change in Congressional leadership (as a result of the elections) contributed to making this possible, it still is highly unusual that an agency’s (NIH) final funding level would exceed all three of the FY2007 proposals put forward last year – the President proposed flat funding, the House did the same, and the Senate proposed a $200 million increase for NIH. Therefore, the research community, including ASH’s Grassroots Network, deserves tremendous credit for helping make this increase possible.

According to Congressional leaders, the $620 million increase for NIH in FY2007 will allow the agency to award an additional 500 research grants. It will create a new $40 million program (Junior Pioneer awards program) to support innovative thinking and outside-the-box research and looks to the future by providing $91 million for grants to first-time investigators. The measure also provides $443 million for the common fund, an increase of $113 million over the FY2006 level. However, appropriators will no longer require NIH Institutes and Centers (ICs) to transfer funds to the Common Fund, and instead will provide funds directly to it. All ICs will thus receive increases in FY2007 based on not having to transfer dollars to the Common Fund. In addition, the resolution includes $69 million for the National Children’s Study.