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119-s-4494119th CongressWALLET

American Cures Act

Sponsored By: Senator Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

Introduced

Summary

Secures sustained, rising federal funding for biomedical and public‑health research. This bill would set specific multi‑year funding levels for the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Defense health research program, and Veterans Affairs medical and prosthetics research from FY2027 through FY2036 and then tie future years to inflation.

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  • Researchers and research institutions: Would get steady, growing NIH funding starting at $52.5 billion in 2027 and rising to $102.3 billion by 2036, with later years indexed to the Consumer Price Index.
  • Public health and communities: Would authorize CDC funding rising from about $9.9 billion in 2027 to $19.3 billion in 2036, supporting disease prevention and response capacity.
  • Service members, veterans, and defense health research: Would fund DoD health research from about $2.9 billion in 2027 to $5.7 billion in 2036 and VA medical and prosthetics research from about $1.1 billion in 2027 to $2.0 billion in 2036. It would also exempt these appropriations from sequestration and exclude their budgetary effects from PAYGO scorecards.

*Would authorize decade‑long, rising appropriations for NIH, CDC, DoD health RD&E, and VA prosthetics and set special budget treatment by exempting those appropriations from sequestration and from PAYGO scorecards.*

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Big NIH research funding boost

If enacted, the government would give the National Institutes of Health about $52.5 billion in FY2027. The bill would set higher, year-by-year amounts through FY2036, reaching about $102.3 billion in FY2036. From FY2037 on, each year’s amount would rise by the prior year’s CPI‑U (an inflation measure). These funds would support NIH research grants, institutes, and related activities.

Bigger DoD medical research budget

If enacted, the bill would give the Department of Defense about $2.94 billion for health research in FY2027. The bill would raise DoD health RD&E funding each year through FY2036, reaching about $5.73 billion in FY2036. From FY2037 on, each year’s amount would rise by the prior year’s CPI‑U. These funds would support military medical research, development, and related contractors.

More CDC funding for public health

If enacted, the government would give the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention about $9.9 billion in FY2027. The bill would increase CDC funding each year through FY2036, reaching about $19.3 billion in FY2036. From FY2037 on, each year’s amount would rise by the prior year’s CPI‑U. These funds would support CDC programs, state and local partners, and public‑health activities.

More VA medical and prosthetics research

If enacted, the bill would give the VA about $1.07 billion for medical and prosthetics research in FY2027. The bill would raise VA research funding each year through FY2036, reaching about $1.98 billion in FY2036. From FY2037 on, each year’s amount would rise by the prior year’s CPI‑U. These funds would support VA research centers, prosthetics development, and veteran health research.

Budget protections for research funding

If enacted, the bill would keep the Act’s appropriations off statutory PAYGO scorecards so they are not entered for PAYGO accounting. It would also add the Act’s appropriations to the list of items exempt from sequestration, so future sequestration orders after enactment could not reduce these funds. The bill would also say amounts appropriated under subsection (a) remain available until expended, giving agencies and grantees more time to use the money.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL]

IL • D

Cosponsors

  • Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Duckworth, Tammy [D-IL]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD]

    MD • D

    Sponsored 5/12/2026

  • Sen. Kim, Andy [D-NJ]

    NJ • D

    Sponsored 8/5/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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