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# Durbin Bills Would Provide Research Funding Increases
- URL: https://www.fdaweb.com/durbin-bills-would-provide-research-funding-increases/
- Published: 2017-03-16T12:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-14T22:12:02.000Z
- Author: David McFarland
- Tags: Drugs, Devices, #legacy-id-D5138219

Sen. **Richard Durbin** (D-IL) has introduced two bills to provide steady increases for biomedical and scientific research at a number of federal research agencies. In a [statement](https://www.durbin.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/durbin-reintroduces-legislation-to-preserve-american-leadership-in-biomedical-and-scientific-research?ref=fdaweb.com), Durbin says the bills “will allow America’s best scientists and researchers to spend less time worrying about their budgets and more time creating new technologies and finding ways to treat and cure diseases.” He notes that federal funding for research “has been on a downward trend for the past several decades, forcing a growing number of America’s top researchers to take their talents to other industries, and other countries.”

His American Innovation Act, co-sponsored by Sen. **Tammy Baldwin** (D-WI), would provide 5% annual budget increases for cutting edge research at the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy Office of Science, Department of Defense Science and Technology Programs, National Institute of Standards and Technology Scientific and Technical Research, and the NASA Science Directorate, Durbin says.

The American Cures Act, with co-sponsors Sens. **Sherrod Brown** (D-OH), **Ed Markey** (D-MA), **Ben Cardin** (D-MD) and **Bob Casey** (D-PA), would each year increase federal appropriations for biomedical research at the National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Department of Defense Health Program, and Veterans Medical & Prosthetics Research Program at a rate of GDP-indexed inflation plus 5%.