FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 28, 2017

CONTACT: James F. Jorkasky Executive Director 240-221-2905 jamesj@eyeresearch.org

NAEVR SUPPORTS $2 BILLION FY2017 NIH INCREASE DESPITE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PROPOSAL TO CUT FUNDING

(Washington, D.C.) Today, the National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) issued a statement regarding the Trump Administration’s proposal to cut $18 billion in NonDefense Discretionary spending in Fiscal Year (FY) 2017 to offset its defense/border security supplemental. This proposal’s options contain a $1.232 billion cut to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), including $50 million achieved by eliminating spending on new Institutional Development Award (IDeA) program grants and $1.182 billion in reduced research grants. This proposal arrived shortly after the March 16 Trump Administration FY2018 Budget Blueprint, which proposed to cut NIH funding by $5.8 billion to $25.9 billion and reorganize NIH’s Institutes and Centers to help focus resources on the highest priority research and training activities. NAEVR’s Executive Director issued the following:

“NAEVR continues to urge Congress to finalize FY2017 appropriations before the Continuing Resolution expires on April 28 to include a $2 billion increase in FY2017 NIH funding to $34.1 billion, as proposed by the Senate Appropriations Committee, to maintain sustained and predictable funding. That $2 billion increase would result in National Eye Institute (NEI) funding of $741 million, or a $33 million increase over FY2016, to fund research to save sight and restore vision. Now is not the time for a retrenchment in research to save sight and restore vision, as the United States faces a major challenge to public health-—that from vision loss—especially during this ‘Decade of Vision 2010-2020’ in which the majority of the 78 million Baby Boomers will turn 65 and be at greatest risk of age-related eye disease.”

The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) is a 501(c)4 non-profit advocacy coalition comprised of 55 professional, consumer, and industry organizations involved in eye and vision research. Visit the Web site at www.eyeresearch.org.