In the News

Today House Republicans forced a vote on the cynically misnamed “Kids First Research Act.” The bill purports to increase funding for pediatric research by transferring $12.6 million from the public financing for party nominating conventions. That might sound substantial if it weren’t designed to mask the fact that House Republicans have slashed NIH funding by $4.2 billion in the last three years. In fact, their most recent budget proposal would have cut NIH funding by another 20%. It’s one of the most cynical acts I’ve seen in a Congress and reminds me of what my friend, humorist Jim Boren, used to say, “If you’re going to be a phony, at least be sincere about it.”