Over the past decade, a critical funding source for major biomedically related research instruments has been NIH's( shared instrument grant (SIG) program. The SIG program is part of the National Center for Research Resources (NCRR). One might expect this program to receive high priority at a time when biotechnological advances are proceeding at an unprecedented pace. Also, the present, predominant mechanism (i.e., core facilities or resource laboratories) for bringing this technology to bear on biomedically important problems has never been more efficient (see accompanying Editorial). There can be little doubt that biomedical advances are increasingly dependent upon the type of complex, expensive equipment specifically targeted by this program. Unfortunately, we are in the second year of dramatically reduced funding which jeopardizes the ability of many institutions to acquire state-of-the-art biotechnology-, and biomedically-, related equipment.
The SIG program was initiated in 1982 and rapidly expanded to a funding level of more than $30 million by fiscal 1985. As the figure on the right illustrates (data from NIH), a consistent funding level deg. was maintained until fiscal 1992 when a 75% reduction to $8.7 million devastated the program with only 39 funded grants in that year. Final 1993 funding was at the same level as 1992. The dramatic, unprecedented reduction in this program was apparently initiated at the NIH in response to general budget constraints coupled with efforts to fund targeted numbers of R01 grants. This program was easy to cut since it does not have strong advocates, does not involve multiple year outlays, and is not associated with any specific diseases. Also, the Congressional Appropriations Committees apparently feel that the SIG/BRSG programs have been exceptionally well funded and it is now time to retrench. However, recent advances in mass spectrometry, automated DNA sequencing, confocal microscopy, etc., as well as the need to expand existing instrumentation capacity in many facilities strongly argues that such severe retrenchment is counter productive to biomedical science as a whole. Since many facilities play a critical biotechnological role in the research programs of 100 or more NlH-funded investigators, the SIG program upon which the existence of core facilities depends, should be the last, rather than one of the first NIH programs that are targeted for budget reductions.
Inadequate funding for this program is likely to continue unless its importance is aggressively highlighted to both Congress and the NIH. All ABRF members in the U.S. are strongly urged to take four courses of action.
1) Write to the NIH Director and advocate substantial expansion of the budget for the NCRR and specifically the SIG program. Address your letter to: Director, NIH, Building 1, Room 126, Bethesda, MD 20892.
2) Send a similar letter to any Congressional Appropriations members from your state (see list on the next page). Letters to members of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education should be addressed to: The Honorable (Representative's name), U.S. House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 20515. Letters to members of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, HHS, and Education should be addressed to: The Honorable (Senator's name), U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 20510.
3) Encourage staff members in your facility/laboratory and your major users/collaborators to write to NIH and the Congressional Appropriation Subcommittee members.
4) Send a copy of your letters to David Speicher so that we can track which legislators have been contacted and provide further action, if needed.
HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HHS, AND EDUCATION
The House Subcommittee members in alphabetical order by state are:
Telephone: (202) 225-3508
Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
Rosa DeLauro, D-CT
C.W. Bill Young, R-FL
Neal Smith, D-IA
John Porter, R-IL (ranking minority member)
William H. Natcher, D-KY (Chair)
Helen Bentley, R-MD
Steny Hoyer, D-MD
Nita Lowey, D-NY
Jose Serrano, D-NY
Louis Stokes, D-OH
Henry Bonilla, R-TX
David Obey, D-WI
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON LABOR, HHS, AND EDUCATION
The Senate Subcommittee members in alphabetical order by state are:
Telephone: (202) 224-7283
Ted Stevens, R-AK
Dale Bumpers, D-AR
Connie Mack, R-FL
Daniel K. Inouye, D-HI
Tom Harkin, D-IA (Chair, Subcommittee)
Christopher S. Bond, R-MO
Thad Cochran, R-MS
Harry Reid, D-NV
Mark O. Hatfield, R-OR
Arlen Specter, R-PA
Ernest F. Hollings, D-SC
Slade Gorton, R-WA
Patty Murray, D-WA
Herb Kohl, D-WI
Robert C. Byrd, D-WV (Chair, Full Committee)
Return to the The ABRF Home Page