U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, criticized the Trump Administration’s proposed reductions to medical research funding and changes to immigration policy in a speech delivered on April 27.
Durbin said these budget cuts could delay access to cures for patients and worsen shortages in healthcare staffing. He also addressed how immigration restrictions may prevent qualified foreign professionals from filling essential roles in the U.S. health system.
President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget proposal includes a significant increase in military spending while reducing investments for biomedical research and disease prevention. Durbin noted that bipartisan efforts had previously increased the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget from $30 billion in 2015 to $49 billion today. “Those are not just numbers on a sheet. That consistent [increase in funding] has meant new cures and treatments, we have developed new, more effective ways to deliver chemo drugs directly into brain tumors, breakthrough treatments for sickle cell disease, And continued progress in the fight for patients with dementia, Alzheimer’s, ALS, and Parkinson’s. Those reliable funding increases gave confidence to our researchers,” Durbin said.
Last year’s presidential budget sought an $18 billion cut to NIH funds but was rejected by the Senate; this year’s proposal would reduce NIH by $6 billion and Centers for Disease Control by $3 billion. “HHS Secretary Kennedy struggled to defend his budget request last week. Why would he want to fund 4,600 fewer research grants? That is 4,600 [potential] cures. Those cuts would extinguish hope for patients, and devastate America’s standing as the world’s leader in medical research,” Durbin said.
Durbin highlighted how mass deportation campaigns affect healthcare staffing: “When you or a loved one have a medical emergency ... often times you’ll see nurses and staff from all over the world ... In fact, 64 percent of foreign-trained physicians practice in areas having a shortage of health care professionals.” He described cases like Dr. Mehrnoosh Ebadi whose residency is at risk due to visa processing holds affecting applicants from dozens of countries.
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Durbin concluded his remarks by questioning current priorities: “Medical research is vital to the safety, security, and prosperity of this nation. And we ought to encourage the best and brightest to aid us in these noble pursuits.”
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