Legislative Updates

October 1, 2008
Despite Initial FY2008 Flat Funding of NIH, NEI Funding for Vision Research Increases By $6.5 Million over FY007, But Still Does Not Keep Pace With Inflation

September 10, 2008
NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni Updates Congress on Status of NIH Reauthorization Legislation

August 6, 2008
NIH Distributes $150 Million FY2008 Supplemental Funding; NEI Receives $3.5 Million, for an FY2008 Funding Total of $670.7 Million

August 4, 2008
Congress Adjourns for Summer Recess, Will Return in September with Most FY2009 Appropriations Bills Still Unfinished

July 17, 2008
Senators Harkin and Specter Introduce An Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Bill to Add $5.2 Billion to FY2008 NIH Funding; Action Comes After Senate LHHS Appropriations Hearing on FY2009 NIH Funding Featuring NIH Director Dr. Zerhouni

June 30, 2008
Congress Acts to Increase FY2008 and FY2009 NIH Funding

May 28, 2008
Senate Approves Supplemental with $400 Million for NIH

March 17 2008
Congress Focuses on Budget and Appropriations Before Spring Recess; FY2009 NIH/NEI Funding Issues Highlighted in Legislation and Testimony

March 6 2008
NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni Testifies on Health Issues and Opportunities at the March 5 House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Hearing

February 4 2008
President Releases Proposed FY2009 Federal Budget That Flat Funds NIH, Minimally Increases NEI Funding

January 28 2008
In January 25 Advocacy Day, ARVO Researchers Make FY2009 NIH/NEI and Defense-related Vision Research Funding Requests to Congress

2007

December 17 2007
Congress to Take Action on FY2008 Consolidated Funding Bill with Increases for Some NIH Programs, Most Institutes Flat Funded

November 16 2007
House Fails to Override Veto of FY2008 LHHS Spending Bill

November 13 2007
President Vetoes LHHS Appropriations Bill; House and Senate to Attempt Override

October 26, 2007
Senate Passes FY2008 LHHS Appropriations Bill; Advocacy Community Urges Congress to Support Conference Bill Due to Presidential Veto Threat

October 1, 2007
Congress Passes Continuing Resolution to Fund Government as Senate Plans Floor Debate on the FY2008 LHHS Appropriations Bill

July 20, 2007
House Passes FY2008 LHHS Appropriations Bill; Report Language Commends NEI Leadership

July 11, 2007
NAEVR Meets with Key Leaders on NIH/NEI Funding on Eve of House Appropriations Committee Markup of FY2008 LHHS Appropriations Bill

June 22, 2007
NEI Director Dr. Paul Sieving Testifies Before Senate Subcommittee Citing Breakthroughs in Aging Eye Research

June 22, 2007
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY2008 LHHS Appropriations Bill to Increase NIH Funding by $1 Billion, NEI by $14.8 Million

June 8, 2007
House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Marks Up FY2008 Appropriations Bill that Increases NEI Funding by $9.9 million; NAEVR Urges Further Increase

May 10, 2007
Congress Begins Work on FY2008 NIH/NEI Appropriations; "Dear Colleague" Letters Urge Funding Increases

March 29, 2007
Vision Community Urges Increased NIH/NEI Funding During Week Focused on FY2008 Budget and Appropriations Actions

March 19, 2007
NIH Director Dr. Zerhouni Appears Before Senate Appropriators; Researchers Testify about Impact of NIH Flat-Funding Prior to Release of Report

March 6, 2007
NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni Appears before House Appropriators; Reiterates Importance of Research/Clinical Practice that is Preemptive, Predictive, Preventive and Personalized

March 1, 2007
As NIH Appropriations Hearings Begin, Major Press on Eye Disease Issues

February 14, 2007
Congress Passes Full-Year FY2007 Joint Funding Resolution

February 5, 2007
President Issues FY2008 Budget Request; Proposed NIH Funding is Below FY2007 Joint Resolution

January 31, 2007
House Passes Full-Year FY2007 Joint Funding Resolution

2006

December 13, 2006
Congress Considers Year-long Continuing Resolution to Fund NIH/NEI

October 12, 2006
NAEVR Highlights NEI’s AREDS 2 Study in Capitol Hill Visits on NIH Appropriations and Reauthorization

September 27, 2006
NAEVR Urges House and Senate to Fully Fund FY2007 LHHS Programs

July 24, 2006
FY2007 House and Senate LHHS Appropriations Bills’ Report Language Lauds NEI for Research into Diabetic Retinopathy and AMD

July 21, 2006
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY2007 LHHS Spending Bill with a $200 Million NIH Increase, $5.4 Million NEI Increase, Over President’s Proposal

June 21, 2006
NAEVR Meets with Key Senators on Appropriations and NIH Reauthorization

June 15, 2006
Leading Moderate Republican Mike Castle Speaks to the Medical Research Advocacy Community

June 13, 2006
House Appropriations Committee Approves FY2007 LHHS Funding Bill

June 9, 2006
NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni Speaks to the National Advisory Eye Council

June 7, 2006
House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Approves FY2007 Funding Bill

May 18, 2006
House Passes Budget Resolution with Commitment to Increase Health and Education Funding by $7.16 Billion over the President’s FY2007 Budget Proposal

May 10, 2006
House Appropriators Take Action Despite Absence of House Budget Resolution

April 7, 2006
Dr. Zerhouni Emphasizes Value Derived from NIH Budget Doubling at April 6 Hearing

March 17, 2006
Senate Passes the Specter/Harkin Amendment to Add $7 Billion to its Budget Resolution

February 6, 2006
President Proposes FY 2007 Budget to Freeze NIH, Decrease Institute Budgets

2005

December 22, 2005
Congress Finalizes FY2006 Appropriations with Procedural Moves that Result in Passage of Defense and LHHS Spending Bills

November 18, 2005
FY2006 LHHS Appropriations Conference Bill Sent Back to Conferees by Senate after Stunning House Defeat; Action Expected in December

October 28, 2005
Senate Passes FY 2006 LHHS Appropriations Bill; Vision Community First to Express Appreciation to Senate Offices

July 15, 2005
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY2006 LHHS Spending Bill Two Days After Subcommittee Markup; Includes $1 Billion Increase for NIH

June 16, 2005
House Appropriations Committee Approves LHHS Spending Bill One Week After Subcommittee Markup; Senate Announces FY2006 Appropriations Allocations

April 7, 2005
NIH Director Zerhouni Discusses NIH Priorities, Conflict of Interest Rules and Stem Cell Research with the Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee

March 21, 2005
Senate and House Pass Respective Budget Resolutions: Senate Passes Specter Amendment to Increase NIH Funding by $1.5 Billion

March 18, 2005
Senate and House Pass Respective Budget Resolutions: Senate Passes Specter Amendment to Increase NIH Funding by $1.5 Billion

March 10, 2005
NAEVR Requests FY2006 Funding for NIH at $30 billion, NEI at $711 Million At House Hearing Featuring NIH Director Dr. Elias Zerhouni

February 8, 2005
President's Budget Proposal is Submitted to Congress; Proposed FY2006 Funding for the NIH/NEI is Less Than One Percent

2004

November 22, 2004
Congress Passes FY2005 Spending Bill; Includes Increase for Medical Research Funding

September 15, 2004
Senate Appropriations Committee Approves FY2005 LHHS Spending Bill with Increased Funding for NIH Institutes, including the NEI

September 10, 2004
House Passes LHHS Bill; Senate Begins Markup

July 15, 2004
House Appropriations Committee Approves LHHS Bill

July 8, 2004
House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee Reports Out FY2005 Spending Bill

June 9, 2004
House Appropriators Begin Mark-Ups Without Final Budget Resolution; NAEVR Educates Hill About Public Health Implications of Eye Disease

April 23, 2004
As Budget Resolution Discussions Continue, Appropriations Hearings Continue; NAEVR Submits Testimony to File of April 21-22 Hearings of the House LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee

April 9, 2004
House and Senate Adjourn Without Passing Budget Resolution; NAEVR Submits Testimony to File of April 1 Hearing of the Senate LHHS Appropriations Subcommittee

March 18, 2004
House Budget Committee Votes out Budget Resolution on March 17; House Floor Debate Expected to Begin March 24

March 12, 2004
Senate Budget Resolution Passes and Includes "Specter Amendment" to Increase FY2005 NIH Funding; House Budget Committee Begins Markup

March 8, 2004
Senate Budget Committee Votes Out Budget Resolution; Senate Floor Action Expected While House Budget Committee Begins Mark-Up

March 1, 2004
Congressional Budget Office Issues its Analysis of the President's FY2005 Budget

February 5, 2004
President Bush Delivers FY2005 Budget Proposal to Congress: Increase for NEI Falls Short of NAEVR's $711 Million Goal

January 22, 2004
Senate Passes FY2004 Consolidated Appropriations Bill (HR2673) Conference Report

January 19, 2004
Senate Returns to Consider Adoption of the Consolidated Appropriations Bill Conference Report (HR2673)