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Yet the Trump Administration has cut in just 40 days $1.81 billion in current NIH research grants, 30% of which were to reimburse funds already spent. Judges blocked even deeper cuts in current programs.

Now Trump’s budget proposal for next year would cut the NIH budget by 40%. This will dramatically affect their personnel, research, and will slow, if not stop, the progress that is being made in numerous health-related issues. Such research, trials and testing saved us from COVID-19, as just one example of this vital work.

I am personally affected by this disastrously shortsighted and ridiculous decision. I have glaucoma, and the vision in my left eye is virtually gone. The Wilmer Eye Institute of Johns Hopkins University, the preeminent institute of its kind is presently researching and has made considerable progress in a method of restoring the optic nerve. The institute has lost millions in funding for this and other vital projects, which impact me and the entire world.

Other Marylanders are especially threatened by these cuts as NIH is still based in Bethesda, and Johns Hopkins is the largest recipient of NIH funding of any medical college in America. These cuts will put added pressure on our state legislature as good jobs and the resulting tax revenues diminish.

All other Americans will also suffer. The CEO and chief scientific officer of the Association of American Medical Colleges recently stated:

“The administration’s announcement that it plans to cut federal support of biomedical research by drastically reducing reimbursement of research costs related to peer-reviewed grants from NIH will diminish the nation’s capacity, slowing scientific progress and depriving patients, families and communities across the country of new treatments, diagnostics and preventative interventions.

“Every American has benefitted from NIH–supported research, conducted at medical Â鶹´«Ã½, academic health systems and teaching hospitals nationwide. Every American will be harmed by the undermining of the long standing partnership between academic institutions and the federal government.

“The government’s support of facilities and administrative costs allows medical research to happen. These real and documented research expenses include physical lab operations and maintenance, security, data processing and storage, and daily operations of critical research infrastructure. Make no mistake. The announcement will mean less research. Lights in labs nationwide will go out. Researchers and staff will lose their jobs.�

“As a result, Americans will wait longer for cures and our country will cede scientific breakthroughs to foreign competitors. These are real consequences — slower scientific progress, longer waits for cures, fewer jobs.�

I can’t imagine that this is what anyone voted for. Why would anyone support it? I most certainly do not.