In his remarks, the Congressman acknowledged the contributions of research to improved health and noted his own family's experience with chronic disease and diabetes. Nethercutt endorsed doubling both the NIH budget and our nation's total investment in research. He described how he had recently been asked by the Speaker of the House to conduct a review of the NIH and its priority setting activities. As part of that assignment, he visited the NIH campus and met with Harold Varmus and several institute directors who described the research being conducted in their areas. He was quite impressed with what he learned about the relationship between biomedical research and progress against disease.
Research is a nonpartisan issue.
He encouraged scientists to speak out about the importance of research. In response to a Board member's question about what scientists can do, he urged them to write letters to the editor of their local newspapers, use television to reach broader audiences, and to visit their Congressional representatives in person.