In a Washington Post op‑ed published Wednesday, Pennsylvania Republican Sen. Dave McCormick called on the Trump administration to double the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) $48 billion budget within five years. McCormick, a longtime ally of President Trump, says the United States is “underinvesting in discovery” and that a larger NIH would pay for itself by trimming the nation’s $5.3 trillion health bill.
Local impact in Pennsylvania
During a March visit to Penn Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, McCormick toured labs with NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya and highlighted the agency’s role in the Keystone State. “Pennsylvania is a huge beneficiary of NIH funding,” he said, noting the state received $2.27 billion in federal research dollars in FY 2025, making it the fourth‑largest recipient nationwide. He added that NIH research sustains more than 21,000 Pennsylvania jobs and generates over $5 billion in annual economic impact.
Economic return on research dollars
McCormick points out that every federal research dollar generates roughly $2.50 in economic activity nationwide. While the federal government spends $7 trillion a year, less than 1 percent goes to NIH research – a “sliver” that delivers outsized returns, he writes. He cites examples such as breakthroughs that cut Type 2 diabetes risk, eye‑disease research that reduces legal‑blindness costs, and CAR‑T cell therapy pioneered at Penn, which offers decade‑long remissions and replaces costly treatments.
Global competition and past cuts
The senator warns that America’s leadership in biomedical research is slipping. China’s R&D spending has risen from 36 percent of the U.S. level in 2008 to parity in 2024, now accounting for about one‑third of the world’s clinical‑stage drugs. Federal R&D as a share of GDP fell from 1.86 percent in 1964 to 0.63 percent in 2024, and the NIH budget has shrunk more than 10 percent, adjusted for inflation, since 2003.
Critique of Biden‑era policies
McCormick criticizes the Biden administration’s use of NIH funds for programs he says politicize science. He notes the agency gave Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) $155,000 to develop training on “structural racism” and “intersectional microaggressions,” calling the initiative a misuse of taxpayer money that undermines public trust.
Trump administration’s merit‑based reforms
McCormick praises the Trump administration for reassessing grants lacking merit and canceling nearly 1,400 midstream awards that relied heavily on diversity, equity and inclusion language. While some of those grants were legitimate, he argues that taxpayers had already spent nearly $1.3 billion on work that might never be completed. He and five Senate Republican colleagues urged the administration to let researchers revise applications rather than discard them.
Legislative proposals for transparency and mentorship
To improve accountability, McCormick proposes the “Sunshine for Researchers Act,” which would require federally funded scientists to disclose significant financial ties to industry. He also co‑authored the NIH Mentorship Modernization Act with Democratic Sen. Chris Coons to help retain young scientists.
Call for a new golden age of American science
Concluding his op‑ed, McCormick invokes the pioneering spirit of America’s early settlers, urging the nation to invest boldly in basic research. He argues that, like national security, foundational science is a public good that private capital rarely funds, and that government must fill the gap for high‑risk, long‑term work that ultimately yields breakthroughs and jobs for American families.
McCormick’s proposal arrives as the Trump administration continues to prioritize merit‑based science funding and to push back against politicized research agendas, positioning the United States for a renewed era of discovery and economic growth.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
