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119-hr-2855119th Congress

Protecting Medical Research Funding Act

Sponsored By: Representative Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]

Introduced

Summary

This bill would prevent the executive branch from impounding, transferring, or reprogramming National Institutes of Health (NIH) discretionary funds unless Congress enacts a new law that explicitly references this Act. It also would create a recurring compliance check by requiring officials to certify they are following that restriction.

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  • HHS and NIH officials would face a new paperwork and oversight duty. The Secretary of Health and Human Services and the NIH Director must certify compliance within 30 days after enactment and then on an annual basis.
  • Congress would get a formal enforcement channel. Those certifications must go to four committees: House Appropriations, House Energy and Commerce, Senate Appropriations, and Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
  • Changes to NIH discretionary funding would be tightly limited. Any impoundment, transfer, or reprogramming would be allowed only through a later statute that expressly references this Act.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Limits moving NIH research funds

If enacted, agencies would not be able to impound, transfer, or reprogram NIH discretionary funds. They could only do so if a new law passed after this Act specifically allows it and names this Act. This rule would apply even if another law says otherwise, including the Impoundment Control Act of 1974. Within 30 days after enactment, and then every year, the HHS Secretary and the NIH Director would have to certify they follow these rules. They would send the certification to House Appropriations and Energy and Commerce, and to Senate Appropriations and HELP. If passed, this could help keep expected NIH research funding steady and support ongoing studies.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Kennedy, Timothy M. [D-NY-26]

NY • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Williams, Nikema [D-GA-5]

    GA • D

    Sponsored 4/10/2025

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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