(Washington, D.C.) -- U.S. Senator Lauch Faircloth (R-NC) spoke at a pres=
s=0Aconference today on doubling funding for the National Institutes of H=
ealth=0A(NIH) over the next five years. Senator Faircloth joined Christop=
her Reeve,=0AChair of the Board of American Paralysis Association and Mar=
y Tyler Moore,=0AChair of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation, as well as fe=
llow Congressional=0Aleaders in support of this funding.
"If we can find $15 billion for the International Monetary Fund, then we =
can=0Afind $15 billion for the NIH," said Senator Faircloth. "There=B9s n=
o better=0Ainvestment this country can make than in the health of the Ame=
rican people.s
At the press conference, Senator Faircloth commended Reeve and Moore for =
their=0Adedication and efforts on behalf of increased funding for medical=
research.
"I am here today to call on the federal government to assure the American=
=0Apublic that medical research funding is one of its highest priorities,=
" Mr.=0AReeve said. "This is a moral imperative which should transcend th=
e lines of=0Apolitics."
Ms. Moore also commented on the necessity for this important legislation,=
and=0Aemphasized that lawmakers and scientists should work together to a=
chieve this=0Agoal.
"It is most important that as we increase funding for NIH, we not take=0A=
resources away from other public health programs, especially the Centers =
for=0ADisease Control," said Senator Faircloth. "This agency takes the wo=
nderful=0Ascientific discoveries that NIH finds and turns them into progr=
ams for the=0Apublic."
Senator Faircloth is a cosponsor of legislation in the Senate to meet thi=
s=0Aobjective within five years.