U.S. Senators Dave McCormick (R-PA) and John Fetterman (D-PA) recently sent a letter to the Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) urging NIH to take immediate action to ensure the timely obligation of all congressionally appropriated FY 2026 grant funding.
“Failure to disburse appropriated funds not only forfeits critical investments but also delays scientific breakthroughs and undermines America’s leadership in biomedical research at a time of growing competition from China and other adversaries. In Pennsylvania, world-class research institutions depend on a functioning NIH grant pipeline to sustain their workforce, advance lifesaving discoveries, and drive long-term economic growth,” wrote Senators McCormick and Fetterman.
Pennsylvania ranks as the fourth largest recipient of NIH funding in the nation. In 2025,
NIH investment generated $5.31 billion in annual economic activity and supported more than 21,700 research jobs.NIH-driven commercialization efforts have also helped create 3,710 businesses and 97,000 jobs in the biopharmaceutical industry.
NIH has awarded fewer than 1,900 new and competitive research grants between October 2025 and late March 2026, less than half the normal pace. The consequences of this slowdown are already being felt by nearly every major disease area, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and prenatal care. Congress funded NIH at approximately $47 billion for FY2026.
Read the full text of the letter below and here.