U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, led a hearing to discuss the president’s Fiscal Year 2026 budget request with Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
In her opening statement, Capito congratulated Dr. Bhattacharya on his new role and emphasized the importance of NIH’s efforts to improve health outcomes in America. She highlighted West Virginia’s health challenges and expressed optimism about addressing them through collaboration and investment.
Capito praised the NIH IDeA Program for its support in states like West Virginia that traditionally receive limited federal research funding. She noted its impact on institutions such as Marshall University and West Virginia University in advancing research in various medical fields.
The senator underscored her commitment to supporting biomedical research as a priority for Congress due to its life-saving potential and economic benefits. “The United States leads the world in biomedical innovation,” she stated, emphasizing the need for continued leadership.
Capito shared personal connections to Alzheimer’s disease research due to her parents’ experiences with the illness. She acknowledged NIH’s progress in developing treatments for Alzheimer’s and cancer over recent years.
She also addressed substance abuse issues prevalent in West Virginia and expressed interest in how restructuring within NIH could aid ongoing work against drug abuse.
Concluding her remarks, Capito stressed efficient resource allocation for public health while expressing hope for continued bipartisan cooperation: “We have a difficult task ahead of us this year…to use our limited resources in the most efficient and effective way.”
Dr. Bhattacharya was expected to provide further insights into how the proposed budget would advance critical research initiatives during his testimony.
