The National Institutes of Health (NIH). In June, the House Energy and Commerce Committee (E&C) released a reform proposal that includes a major restructuring of NIH. The proposal suggests consolidating the National Eye Institute (NEI) into a new, broader “Institute on Neuroscience and Brain Research,” which would merge NEI with the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).
Following this proposal, the House Labor, Health and Human Services (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee incorporated these consolidation recommendations into their Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations bill. While this proposal is unlikely to advance this year, it highlights the House’s intent to pursue significant NIH reforms. The bill passed out of the subcommittee markup on a strictly party-line vote, with ranking member Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) stressing the importance of stakeholder input and public hearings before implementing any substantial NIH reforms.
In response, NAEVR is actively engaging with legislative offices in both the House and Senate to push back against these consolidation efforts. Our advocacy aims to preserve NEI as a specialized institute solely focused on eye and vision research.
Our concerns with the House proposal, as articulated in a recent sign-on letter, include:
Dilution of Focus: Consolidating NEI into a larger institute could dilute the specialized focus and expertise that NEI currently provides for eye and vision research. This could adversely impact the quality and progress of research crucial for treating eye diseases.
Resource Allocation: The consolidation could lead to competing priorities among the new institute’s components, potentially diverting resources away from vision research and affecting ongoing and future projects.
Stakeholder Engagement: The reform proposal has moved forward without adequate consultation with stakeholders who are directly involved in or impacted by vision research. Comprehensive stakeholder engagement is essential to ensure that the unique needs of NEI are effectively addressed.
NAEVR is committed to ensuring that NEI remains a dedicated institute for eye and vision research. Our advocacy efforts are focused on highlighting these concerns and ensuring that any proposed changes undergo thorough vetting through public input and stakeholder consultation.
Senate LHHS Appropriations Bill Gains Bipartisan Support
In contrast to the House’s approach, the Senate LHHS Appropriations bill recently passed out of subcommittee with bipartisan support (25-3) and presents a more favorable outlook for NIH, maintaining its current structure. The Senate bill proposes a modest increase for NEI, raising its budget from $896.55 million to $898.82 million—a 0.2% increase.
Key provisions in the Senate bill include:
The Senate bill includes several notable provisions. Total NIH Funding was increased from $47.48 billion to $50.351 billion, which provides a base discretionary funding increase of $2.05 billion over Fiscal Year 2024, and $127 million in Cures Act authorized funding. The bill also maintains funding of $1.5 billion for ARPA-H.
Notable program restorations and increases relevant to vision research include:
- All of Us Research Program: +$184 million
- BRAIN Initiative: +$278 million
- Cancer Moonshot: +$216 million
- Mental Health Research: +$275 million
- Alzheimer’s Disease Research: +$275 million
- National Library of Medicine Data Initiative: +$100 million
- Office of Research on Women’s Health: +$76 million
- Cancer Research: +$50 million (in addition to the Cancer Moonshot increase)
- Diabetes Research: +$50 million
- AI Programs: +$20 million
Looking Ahead
While the House proposal outlines a vision for significant NIH reform, including the consolidation of NEI, the Senate bill reflects a commitment to supporting and expanding biomedical research funding while preserving the current NIH structure. NAEVR will continue to advocate for the protection and advancement of eye and vision research in these legislative discussions, emphasizing the need for thoughtful consideration and stakeholder engagement in any reform efforts.
The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) invites you to submit a letter to your Congressional offices and the House Energy & Commerce Committee official comment period today!
The template letter outlines opposition to the proposed consolidation of the NEI into a broader Institute on Neuroscience and Brain Research and emphasizes the importance of maintaining eyes and vision as a dedicated “institute-level” priority for NIH.
