Congressional Testimony
Here's a look at documents involving congressional testimony and member statements
Featured Stories
House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee Chairman Webster Issues Opening Remarks at Roundtable Discussion on Cargo Theft
WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Florida, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, released the following opening remarks from an April 29, 2025, roundtable discussion entitled "Combatting Cargo Theft: Stakeholder Perspectives":* * *
I would like to thank my colleague, Ranking Member Titus, for organizing this bipartisan roundtable discussion. And, I also want to thank our industry representatives for their attendance and input as well.
Cargo theft has long been a problem, but it is one that is now reaching ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 8 -- Rep. Daniel Webster, R-Florida, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, released the following opening remarks from an April 29, 2025, roundtable discussion entitled "Combatting Cargo Theft: Stakeholder Perspectives": * * * I would like to thank my colleague, Ranking Member Titus, for organizing this bipartisan roundtable discussion. And, I also want to thank our industry representatives for their attendance and input as well. Cargo theft has long been a problem, but it is one that is now reachingepidemic proportions. Thefts from railroads alone increased 40 percent over the previous year. These thefts imposed $35 billion in costs on the economy and supply chains.
Thieves target these supply chains in part because they are lucrative. They also do so because the risk of arrest and prosecution is low.
Much of our nation's cargo crosses state lines. Thefts are occurring all along this supply chain. That makes coordinating both prevention and prosecution difficult.
Worse, how thieves are obtaining cargo, including by cutting brake lines and sabotaging signals, creates significant hazards for train crews and the public.
What is clear is that the federal government needs to better partner with the states and supply chain stakeholders to develop more effective responses. I look forward to learning the advice of industry participants. Again, thank you all for attending.
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Original text here: https://transportation.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=408377
GAO Comptroller General Dodaro Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch released the following written testimony by Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Gene Dodaro from an April 30, 2025, hearing on fiscal 2026 budget requests:* * *
Chairman Mullin, Ranking Member Heinrich, and Members of the Subcommittee, I would like to express my appreciation for the support this Subcommittee has shown GAO in the past few years. With your help we have made great progress in saving federal funds and achieving our mission of improving government efficiency, performance, and accountability. ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch released the following written testimony by Government Accountability Office Comptroller General Gene Dodaro from an April 30, 2025, hearing on fiscal 2026 budget requests: * * * Chairman Mullin, Ranking Member Heinrich, and Members of the Subcommittee, I would like to express my appreciation for the support this Subcommittee has shown GAO in the past few years. With your help we have made great progress in saving federal funds and achieving our mission of improving government efficiency, performance, and accountability.Our average return on investment for the past 6 years is $123 for every dollar invested in GAO. In addition, GAO achieved over 7,700 government-wide program and operational benefits across government.
The fiscal year (FY) 2026 budget request will allow GAO to continue to meet the priority needs of Congress and contribute to a more efficient and accountable government.
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GAO's Work Improves Government Efficiency and Effectiveness
GAO continues to demonstrate its value. In FY 2024 alone, our work generated over $67.5 billion in financial benefits and 1,232 other program and operational benefits. We issued 718 reports, over 550 legal decisions, and handled about 1,800 bid protests. GAO experts testified 60 times before 39 separate committees or subcommittees on topics including improving veterans' access to healthcare in rural areas, F-35 costs and engine modernization, challenges related to preventing and recovering disability insurance overpayments, and defense and civilian applications of artificial intelligence.
Agencies use our work to improve their operations and performance, and Congress uses it to inform key legislative decisions. For example, consistent with our recommendation, the Joint Explanatory Statement accompanying the most recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) prohibits the Navy from obligating or expending any funds authorized for FY 2025 for the construction of a Constellation-class frigate until approval of a high level of design completion by the designated technical authority.
In FY 2024, we also made 1,484 new recommendations. On average, over 75 percent of recommendations that we make are implemented within 4 years. We achieve this high implementation rate because our reports provide evidence-based, convincing findings and constructive recommendations. After we issue the report, we also regularly follow-up with the agency leaders and the Congress to spur implementation.
Addressing our recommendations improves government efficiency and effectiveness. For example, as we reported in March 2025, efforts to address issues on our High-Risk List have led to nearly $759 billion in financial benefits--an average of $40 billion per year. Similarly, agency and congressional efforts to address issues that we have identified in our annual Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication report have yielded about $667 billion in financial benefits.
Addressing all remaining open recommendations would generate tens of billions of additional financial benefits for the government1. For example, GAO has recommended that Congress consider equalizing the rates Medicare pays for certain health care services, which often vary depending on whether the service is performed in hospital or office settings. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that equalizing payment rates could result in $156.9 billion in financial benefits from fiscal years 2025 through 2034.
For FY 2026, GAO is requesting $933.9 million in appropriated funds. This is a 15.0 percent increase over the FY 2025 full year Continuing Resolution (CR) level and uses $72.2 million in offsetting receipts, reimbursements, and collections. (See appendix I, Table 1) As a result of operating at full-year CR funding levels in FY 2025, critical GAO mission-related activities have been halted or slowed and on-board staffing levels are projected to drop from 3,571 to 3,445 employees. (See appendix 1, Table 2) The reduction in staffing levels is impacting operations across the agency. Our FY 2026 budget request will allow us to build back some of this loss of staff and expertise. As a knowledge-based, professional services organization, our people are our greatest assets.
The FY 2026 budget request will allow GAO to continue to meet the high demand for our work. Over the past four years GAO averaged 627 requests and mandates per year from over 90 percent of the standing committees of the Congress, supporting a broad range of congressional interests. For example, the 2024 NDAA included 95 mandates; the Water Resources Development Act of 2024 included 26 mandates; and the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 included 36 mandates. In addition to conducting work for new mandates, we have over 150 mandates that have recurring reporting requirements; for example, we perform annual financial audits of the SEC, FDIC, and IRS, among others.
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1 GAO, Open GAO Recommendations: Financial Benefits Could Be Between $106 Billion and $208 Billion GAO-24-107146, Jul 11, 2024 FY 2026 Budget Request
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This demand has continued in FY 2025. Through March 31, 2025, we have received 190 requests and mandates. Bills pending before Congress include additional mandates. For example, the Senate bill for the Coast Guard Reauthorization Act includes 12 mandates and the House bill for the Homeland Security Improvement Act includes 7 mandates. We have also testified 21 times so far this fiscal year on topics of national importance. These include modernizing the air traffic control system, improving navy shipbuilding acquisition practices, combatting fraud and improper payments, and improving the federal approach to disaster assistance. Our expert witnesses are frequently praised by committee leadership for their breadth and depth of knowledge.
In addition to our reports and testimonies, we use our in-depth knowledge of federal programs to provide technical assistance to committees and Members. Technical assistance is informal, quick turnaround assistance, such as data analysis, hearing prep assistance, and draft legislation review. In FY 2024, the first year we began tracking these services, we provided over 1,100 instances of technical assistance. For the first half of FY 2025, we have provided 560 instances of this assistance.
The FY 2026 budget request will allow GAO to continue to provide Congress with fact-based, nonpartisan information and analysis that address both longstanding and emerging national interests. Specifically, our request will enable GAO to review the most important national and international issues facing our nation. These include:
* National Security. The latest U.S. National Security Strategy emphasized the importance of a more modern U.S. military in the face of threats from global strategic competition, among other policy priorities. The size and complexity of these efforts continue to grow; the FY 2025 continuing resolution increased defense spending by $6 billion over FY 2024 enacted levels. GAO evaluates federal efforts across the spectrum of global national security activities, including military readiness, major weapons system acquisitions, space programs, and the modernization of our nuclear complex.
* Science and Technology. Demand for our science and technology work continues to grow. Accordingly, GAO has focused on enhancing its capabilities in this area of continuously evolving rapid developments in our society affecting both the public and private sectors. In committee reports, Committees have frequently indicated they are pleased with our science and technology work and encouraged us to continue to expand our capabilities in this area.
In response to provisions in the FY 2025 House and Senate committee reports, we issued a report that details our efforts to meet congressional needs for science and technology research and analysis. We reported that our science and technology team has published 32 in-depth technology assessments, 53 2-page Spotlights explaining key emerging technologies and their implications, and dozens of other products on a range of issues. These include the use of artificial intelligence in defense and civilian applications, quantum computing, regenerative medicine, and medical research, along with critical mineral recovery and technology transfer. The team also regularly provides support to Congress on impromptu, real-time advice and consultation, providing over 90 technical consultations to Congress in 2024 alone.
* Fraud Prevention. The unprecedented amount of fraud in pandemic programs highlighted the urgent need for better implementation of leading practices for fraud risk management. GAO's A Framework for Managing Fraud Risks in Federal Programs is now embedded in legislation and OMB circulars. In 2024, we issued our first estimate of government-wide fraud. GAO estimated the federal government lost between $233 billion and $521 billion annually during FYs 2018-2022.
During that period, GAO made about 130 recommendations and Matters for Congressional Consideration to address fraud-related issues and to improve fraud risk management. Much more needs to be done to safeguard federal spending.
* Cybersecurity. Escalating threats, including new and more destructive attacks from around the globe, highlight the critical and persistent need for effective cybersecurity. Our work will continue to assess multiple priorities, such as the development and execution of a comprehensive national cybersecurity strategy, the security of the 16 critical infrastructure sections identified by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,/2 and the security of federal information systems.
* Health Care Costs. GAO continues to examine the sustainability and integrity of the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and oversee VA, DOD, and Indian Health Service health care services. Health care spending now accounts for around 27 percent of the federal budget and is one of the fastest growing federal expenditures. Future growth will be driven, in part, by the aging of the population and the increasing cost of health care.
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2 The 16 sections include Agriculture and Food, Chemical, Commercial Facilities, Communications, Critical Manufacturing, Dams, Defense Industrial Base, Emergency Services, Energy, Financial Services, Government Facilities, Public Health, Information Technology, Nuclear Reactors and Materials, Transportation Systems, and Water and Wastewater Systems.
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GAO carries out sophisticated and in-depth work on these and other issues of national importance. Because our work spans the full range of government programs and spending, we must hire and retain a multidisciplinary staff. GAO staff have wide-ranging expertise from many academic fields, including engineering, biology, computer science, cybersecurity, public policy, accounting, law, physics, economics, criminal justice, finance, business, and nursing, among others.
About 72 percent of GAO analysts have advanced degrees in their field of study. GAO attracts and retains this talent by offering a compelling mission and a positive working environment. In March 2025, for the fifth straight year, the Partnership for Public Service ranked GAO as first among mid-size federal agencies as the "best place to work".
Finally, the budget request will also allow us to address internal operational needs. These requirements include IT modernization, cloud data management and storage, and enhancing cyber security controls. In addition, GAO is continuing space optimization projects for both the headquarters building and field offices. We are also pursuing critical physical infrastructure enhancements to improve safety, strengthen reliability, and save costs.
Chairman Mullin, Ranking Member Heinrich, and Members of the Subcommittee, this concludes my prepared statement. I would be pleased to respond to any questions.
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Original text here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/gene_dodaro_testimony_42925.pdf
Center for Industrial Progress President Epstein Testifies Before Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee
WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee released the following testimony by Alex Epstein, president and founder of the Center for Industrial Progress, from a May 1, 2025, hearing entitled "Examining Insurance Markets and the Role of Mitigation Policies":* * *
January's devastating LA fires were the biggest wakeup call yet that California has become significantly more endangered by out-of-control wildfires. Fortunately, more and more Californians are starting to understand the root cause: a failure to practice climate resilience. As a longtime resident of ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee released the following testimony by Alex Epstein, president and founder of the Center for Industrial Progress, from a May 1, 2025, hearing entitled "Examining Insurance Markets and the Role of Mitigation Policies": * * * January's devastating LA fires were the biggest wakeup call yet that California has become significantly more endangered by out-of-control wildfires. Fortunately, more and more Californians are starting to understand the root cause: a failure to practice climate resilience. As a longtime resident ofSouthern California, I have long been frustrated that our leading politicians blame our fire problems on rising CO2 levels, a minor fire factor they have no real ability to affect--while ignoring the major factor they can directly affect: resilience. The last 100 years show that increasing resilience can more than offset any new dangers from rising CO2 levels. As evidence, the death rate from climate-related disasters has fallen 98%--and damages adjusted for GDP growth have not increased./1
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1 Data on disaster deaths come from EM-DAT, CRED / UCLouvain, Brussels, Belgium - www.emdat.be (D. Guha-Sapir). Population estimates for the 1920s from the Maddison Database 2010 come from the Groningen Growth and Development Centre, Faculty of Economics and Business at University of Groningen. For years not shown, population is assumed to have grown at a steady rate. Population estimates for the 2010s come from World Bank Data. Roger Pielke Jr. - Global Disaster Losses: 1990-2023.
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Regardless of climate changes, we could radically reduce wildfire danger through 5 forms of resilience:
1. Crack down on human ignition
2. Reduce fuel load
3. Reduce proximity of homes to fuel
4. Increase fire-resistance
5. Build robust response capacities We've failed at all 5.
California has failed to crack down on human ignition. Many wildfires--and almost all in SoCal--begin with ignition from arson, accidents (especially from the homeless) and power line failures./2
The first two are easy to crack down on--yet we have failed spectacularly to do so. California has failed to reduce fuel load. Whether for dense forest or LA's chaparral vegetation, reducing the amount of flammable material--through prescribed burns, brush clearing, fire breaks, or logging--dramatically limits fire's potential. Yet we let fuel load grow and grow./3
California has failed to reduce the proximity of homes to fuel. Once a fire starts to spread, a huge factor in its destructiveness is proximity: how much human infrastructure is near flammable areas. Yet we build more and more infrastructure in flammable areas./4
California has failed to increase fire-resistance. Once a fire reaches urban areas, a major factor in its destructiveness is how fire-resistant the affected human infrastructure is. Yet we have not increased fire-resistance to handle the danger caused by our other bad policies.
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2 Jon E. Keeley et al. - Ignitions explain more than temperature or precipitation in driving Santa Ana wind fires. LA Times - 24 fires a day: Surge in flames at L.A. homeless encampments a growing crisis. ABC7 Los Angeles - Nearly a third of LA's fires last six years involved homeless people, new report shows
3 CA Wildfire & Forest Resilience Task Force - California's strategic plan for expanding the use of beneficial fire, 2022
4 Reason - Los Angeles Zoning Laws Pushed People and Homes Toward Fire-Prone Areas
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California has failed to build robust response capacities. The last line of defense against a fire is effective firefighting that can respond quickly and at scale. Yet before the recent fires, the LA fire department had a stagnant budget and insufficient water infrastructure./5
Why is California so bad at wildfire resilience? One major reason is "green" policies that prevent the major human impact needed to manage our naturally fire-prone forests and shrublands--such as reducing fuel load. "Green" fire management prohibitions are deadly. An overlooked cause of California's fire problems is a lack of free-market fire insurance. In a free market, fire insurance premiums would have risen dramatically in response to CA's failure to practice wildfire resilience--sending a crucial message. But CA shot the messenger. Many Californians have experienced the situation my wife and I did when, in preparation for the birth of our first child, we bought our first home in Southern California. No private company would sell us fire insurance at any price; we could only get the government's FAIR plan. While climate catastrophists pretend that insurers' withdrawal from California is due to overwhelming climate risk, this is absurd--not just because the major risk is lack of resilience, but because regardless of a risk's cause, insurers can always profitably insure at some price. There are many forms of insurance for things far riskier than fires in California--which, in high-risk areas, might be 1% of a home's cost annually. Other forms of insurance often exceed 5%: athlete disability insurance, high-risk occupational insurance, even AppleCare! As California's failure to practice wildfire resilience was rising, we needed insurers to jack up premiums in proportion to the risk--especially for homes in fire-prone areas and/or homes with low fire-resistance. But our government prevented this, covering up its own failures. California's "Insurance Rate Reduction and Reform Act"--Proposition 103 from 1988--requires insurance companies to obtain prior approval from the state before increasing rates, and to base their rates only on past losses rather than future loss projections./6
Proposition 103 was voted into law in California specifically to prevent premium hikes in dangerous areas. As a result, predictably, insurance companies left markets where they could not turn a profit because the risk was too high compared to the premiums they could offer.
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5 Fox Business - Los Angeles mayor slashed fire budget last year, prioritized homeless population
6 JLK Rosenberger - Gloomy State of the California Insurance Market
City of Los Angeles | Open Budget
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California also instituted a public FAIR "last-resort" plan, forcibly subsidized by private insurers, which provides insurance to homeowners regardless of risk, at artificially low prices. This directly incentivized home-building in highly fire-prone areas./7
Post-LA fires, California needs to embrace a free market in disaster insurance that will encourage us to increase resilience. Instead, we have imposed even more restrictions on insurers, dictating which policies they can cancel and forcing them to fund government insurance./8
I will try to convince my government in California that the key to radically reducing wildfire danger--like all climate danger--is increasing resilience, including the free-market disaster insurance that incentivizes it. But even if California won't learn its lesson, I hope Congress does. Congress should require the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service to obtain NEPA categorical exclusions for proven wildfire-prevention tools--such as mechanical thinning and prescribed burns--so these lifesaving actions aren't delayed by onerous, duplicative reviews. Congress should direct the Fish and Wildlife Service to exclude wildfire prevention measures from review under the Endangered Species Act, given that wildfires themselves pose a far greater threat to wildlife than the measures to prevent them. Congress should direct the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service to incorporate additional mechanical thinning, prescribed fires, firebreaks, fuel breaks, and logging into their forest and resource management plans. Congress should require the US Forest Service to abolish the "roadless forests" category within the national forest system--which unnecessarily restricts wildfire prevention efforts from accessing some of the most fire-prone areas due to lack of permanent roads. Congress should direct the EPA to exempt prescribed burns from Clean Air Act air-quality calculations--or at minimum create a swift, automatic waiver--so land managers can use this proven wildfire-prevention tool without jeopardizing state Clean Air Act compliance.
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7 CBS - California FAIR Plan secrets: Why the state's insurer of last resort is so secretive
8 California Department of Insurance - Commissioner Lara moves to protect insurance coverage for Southern California wildfire survivors
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Original text here: https://www.banking.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/epstein_testimony_5-1-25.pdf
CBO Director Swagel Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch released the following testimony by Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip L. Swagel from an April 30, 2025, hearing on fiscal 2026 budget requests:* * *
Chairman Mullin, Ranking Member Heinrich, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Congressional Budget Office's budget request./1
CBO requests appropriations of $75.8 million for fiscal year 2026 (see Figure 1). Most of that amount--86.6 percent--would be for pay and benefits; 9.8 percent would be for information ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the Legislative Branch released the following testimony by Congressional Budget Office Director Phillip L. Swagel from an April 30, 2025, hearing on fiscal 2026 budget requests: * * * Chairman Mullin, Ranking Member Heinrich, and Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to present the Congressional Budget Office's budget request./1 CBO requests appropriations of $75.8 million for fiscal year 2026 (see Figure 1). Most of that amount--86.6 percent--would be for pay and benefits; 9.8 percent would be for informationtechnology (IT); and 3.6 percent would be for training, expert consultant services, office supplies, and other items. The requested amount is an increase of $5.8 million, or 8.2 percent, above the funding provided for this year.
Of the increase, 52 percent would primarily cover increases in current employees' salaries and benefits and would enable CBO to expand its staff in key areas of Congressional interest. The remaining 48 percent would address increased costs to enhance the agency's cybersecurity and IT infrastructure; such improvements are critical to protecting sensitive data and improving the agency's computing power for analyzing complex data sets. CBO is prioritizing advancements in a security strategy called zero trust architecture, which requires verification before allowing access to any user or device.
The requested budget is based on continued strong interest in CBO's work from the Congressional leadership, committees, and Members. In 2024, CBO published about 1,100 cost estimates for legislation and devoted significant resources to analyzing the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025 (Public Law 118-159); the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-42); the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (P.L. 118-47); and H.R. 8467, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2024. For those bills and many others, the agency also fulfilled thousands of requests for technical assistance. In addition, CBO prepared dozens of reports, many at the request of Chairs or Ranking Members of Congressional committees.
CBO will provide many estimates and a large amount of technical assistance to the 119th Congress as lawmakers consider significant legislative initiatives. With additional resources, the agency could provide even more. Under the funding provided for this year, CBO will maintain its staffing at about 270 employees and focus on the highest priority current needs, including preparing cost estimates, providing technical assistance as the Congress crafts legislation, and analyzing the economic and dynamic budgetary effects of proposed policies. CBO will reduce expenditures elsewhere, by deferring hiring for some positions and deferring some activities, including not undertaking some longer-term improvements in its IT infrastructure.
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1. See Congressional Budget Office, The Congressional Budget Office's Request for Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2026 (April 2025), www.cbo.gov/publication/61161.
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The fiscal year 2026 request would allow CBO to grow to 285 employees. That number would allow the agency to better meet its responsibilities under the Congressional Budget Act. The request also would allow for IT enhancements, including some currently on hold.
Of the 15 additional staff members CBO would hire in 2026:
* 9 would improve CBO's capabilities to provide timely analysis of changes to health care programs, border security, credit programs (like student loans), and the U.S. population (particularly because of changes in immigration) and of dynamic policy effects (that is, determining how changes in fiscal policies would affect the economy and how those economic changes would, in turn, affect the federal budget);
* 2 would enhance CBO's responsiveness in producing cost estimates and providing technical assistance in the legislative process;
* 1 would be an addition to the agency's editing staff to enhance the readability and accessibility of CBO's materials;
* 1 would provide increased legal assistance;
* 1 would enhance CBO's IT security; and
* 1 would boost outreach to Congressional staff and the press.
CBO plans to use expert consultants more than it has in the past--enabling the agency to shift to the Congress's key areas of focus more easily and to be more nimble in conducting facility management, work in IT, and financial management.
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CBO's Budget Request and Its Consequences for Staffing and Output
In fiscal year 2026, CBO will continue its mission of providing objective, insightful, clearly presented, and timely budgetary and economic information to the Congress. The $75.8 million requested would be used mostly for salaries and benefits.
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Funding Request for Personnel Costs and Consequences for Staffing
CBO requests $65.6 million for salaries and benefits to support 285 employees by the end of fiscal year 2026, which equates to 278 full-time-equivalent positions for the year. That amount represents an increase in personnel costs of $3.0 million, or 4.7 percent, from the $62.6 million devoted to such costs in fiscal year 2025.
Of the total requested amount:
* $47.4 million would cover salaries--an increase of $2.3 million, or 5.2 percent, from the amount provided in 2025. That increase would primarily fund inflation adjustments and performance-based salary increases for current staff in 2026. Employees earning less than $100,000 would receive an across-the-board increase of 3.8 percent, whereas employees earning $100,000 or more (for whom more of their compensation is based on performance) would receive a 1.8 percent increase. The requested increase would also fund the hiring of 15 new staff members in 2026.
* $18.2 million would fund benefits--an increase of $0.6 million, or 3.6 percent, from the amount provided in 2025. The requested increase would cover growth in the cost of federal benefits and would fund benefits for the 15 new staff members in 2026.
All told, salaries and benefits for current employees would rise by $2.2 million, and the costs of salaries and benefits for the 15 additional employees would total $0.8 million.
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Funding Request for Nonpersonnel Costs
CBO requests $10.1 million for nonpersonnel costs.
That request is an increase of $2.8 million, or 37.8 percent, from the amount provided in 2025. The requested nonpersonnel funds would cover IT operations--such as cybersecurity, software and hardware maintenance, software development, communications, and purchases of commercial data and equipment--and would pay for training, expert consultant services, office supplies, travel, interagency agreements, facilities support, editorial support, financial management operations (including auditing of the agency's financial statements), subscriptions to library services, and other items.
The requested increase would, among other things, allow CBO to improve its ability to detect, assess, and recover from cyberattacks and to expand its cloud infrastructure.
Much of the agency's spending on cybersecurity is the cost of maintaining access to data that are essential to CBO's analyses.
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Consequences for Output
The requested funding would allow CBO to produce more analysis for the Congress, including analysis in areas in which the agency anticipates additional legislative activity and oversight (see Table 1). It would also allow CBO to provide more technical assistance to committees and Members when they are crafting legislation and faster turnarounds when demand surges. In addition to providing major analytic products and assistance, CBO would continue to produce other important material, such as presentations about the agency's work, letters in response to Members' questions, and blog posts.
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Figure 1: Components of CBO's Requested $5.8 Million Increase
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CBO regularly consults with committees and the Congressional leadership to ensure that the agency's resources are focused on the work that is of highest priority to the Congress. The demands on the agency remain intense and strain its resources in many areas. Even with high productivity by a dedicated staff, CBO will not be able to produce as many estimates and other analyses as committees, the leadership, and individual Members request.
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Requested Information and Authorities
In this section, CBO provides information about its challenges in accessing federal data and requests the authority to provide a childcare benefit.
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CBO's Access to Data
The House Committee on Appropriations directed CBO to report to the committees of jurisdiction any challenges in accessing federal data and to identify whether the Congress can take any actions to ensure continuous and real-time access.
CBO obtains from federal agencies a wide array of information, which it uses to produce baseline budget projections, economic projections, cost estimates, and reports. The agency works collaboratively with agencies to obtain the needed data through formal and informal means. The Congressional Budget Act provides CBO general authority to access data from a variety of sources.
CBO also accesses data by using legal authorities applicable to specific types of data, such as federal tax information.
CBO currently has more than 20 active data-use agreements with other federal agencies.
During the fall of 2024, two laws were enacted to improve CBO's access to data:
* The Congressional Budget Office Data Sharing Act (P.L. 118-89) clarifies and strengthens CBO's general authority for accessing executive branch data under the Congressional Budget Act.
* The Congressional Budget Office Data Access Act (P.L. 118-104) authorizes agencies to disclose to CBO information that is protected by the Privacy Act's confidentiality requirements, providing CBO the same access to that information as the Government Accountability Office and the Joint Committee on Taxation have.
Enactment of the Congressional Budget Office Data Sharing Act, which amends the Congressional Budget Act, highlights CBO's need for resources to maintain strong IT security measures. Because of the sensitive nature of the data the amendment provides access to, CBO needs to provide the same level of confidentiality as the law requires of the agency that provides the data. In addition, the legislation requires CBO to provide to the Congress within one year of enactment a report listing any formal requests for information made to executive branch agencies and any challenges faced.
CBO has identified other actions (previously mentioned in the fiscal year 2025 budget request) that the Congress can take to improve the agency's access to information:
* Restoring access to student aid data. CBO has lost access to information that is an important component of the agency's models of the Federal Pell Grant Program and student loan programs. A change to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code would restore that access.
For many years, CBO received from the Department of Education data on the income of Pell grant and student loan recipients. In the summer of 2024, the department began receiving certain information about the income of student loan borrowers directly from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), newly making the data federal tax information (FTI) that CBO lacks statutory authority to access. CBO is seeking an amendment to section 6103 of the Internal Revenue Code to allow the agency to again receive those data. CBO receives FTI under section 6103 for other purposes and is compliant with the IRS's security requirements.
The Department of Education's change in practice has not yet affected CBO's analyses because there is a lag between the department's collection of the information during an award year and transmittal to CBO. At some point, however, the change in practice will significantly diminish CBO's capability to analyze those student aid programs.
CBO has been working with the Joint Committee on Taxation and the Education and Treasury Departments, as well as with several Congressional committees (the House Committee on Ways and Means; the House Committee on Education and Workforce; the Senate Committee on Finance; the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions; and the House and Senate Budget Committees) regarding an amendment.
* Allowing CBO to receive gifts. CBO is seeking authority for fiscal year 2026 (and would renew its request for subsequent years) to accept gifts of property, including money and intangible property, or services to support the operation of the agency.
Under current law, CBO often can obtain new data sets, services, and tools from private entities by procuring them using appropriated funds or negotiating no-cost contracts compliant with federal requirements. Gift authority would enable CBO to sometimes obtain such data and tools more quickly or without expense. CBO would include in its annual budget justification a description of any gifts accepted, the source of the gifts, and a description of the benefits to the taxpayers.
As the interests of the Congress change, CBO must develop the capacity to analyze new issues and policies.
Consequently, the agency will need to obtain new sources of information and might require new specific authorities to do so. CBO will work with the committees of jurisdiction as new challenges arise.
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Requested Authority for a Childcare Benefit
CBO renews its request for the following authority to provide a childcare benefit:
Sec. ____ The Director of the Congressional Budget Office may expend funds appropriated in fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter to reimburse employees of the Office for costs to improve the affordability of childcare if the Director determines that reimbursing such expenses is of sufficient benefit or value to the Office.
The Congressional Budget Act states that CBO employees shall have the same employment benefits and privileges as employees of the House of Representatives.
Childcare is one of those benefits. Gaining access to the House of Representatives Childcare Center (HRCCC) is challenging for CBO staff members because they are given lower priority than employees of the House. That ranking stems from the statute that provides the House's childcare authority [2 U.S.C. Sec. 2062(a)(1)]. As a result, April 29, 2025 THE CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE'S REQUEST FOR APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 5 it is generally not possible for CBO employees to enroll their children in the HRCCC at the youngest ages, for which childcare is most needed. CBO staff are also given lower priority than Senate employees to access the Senate Employees Childcare Center. Those difficulties mean CBO employees cannot take advantage of the House and Senate centers, which offer high-quality childcare near their workplace and which can charge lower rates partly because they occupy government-provided space.
Included in CBO's fiscal year 2026 budget request is $250,000 for the cost of those payments (embedded in various object classes for benefits). This benefit would enhance CBO's ability to recruit and retain a talented and competitive workforce.
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Strengthening Responsiveness
CBO seeks to provide information when it is most useful to the Congress. Depending on its purpose, that information takes a variety of forms, such as cost estimates, background information, and technical assistance. In almost all cases, CBO completes a cost estimate before legislation comes to a floor vote. In addition, the agency works to provide technical assistance, reports, and other information to lawmakers and their staff during earlier stages of the legislative process.
Beginning in fiscal year 2019, CBO initiated a multiyear effort to strengthen its responsiveness to the Congress. To carry out that plan, CBO received additional resources to expand staffing in high-demand areas, such as health care and immigration. It has increased its use of assistant analysts, who can move from one topic to another to support more senior analysts when demand surges for analysis of a particular topic or when additional assistance is needed for a complicated estimate. In addition, CBO continues to engage expert consultants in complex areas, such as health policy, agricultural and nutrition programs, economic forecasting, and climate-related research. Finally, the agency is continuing to expand its use of team approaches for large and complicated projects. That approach has been particularly effective in enabling CBO to produce timely analyses of legislation involving health care.
CBO's goal is to increase the number of staff with overlapping skills within and across teams. In some cases, those skills will consist of expertise related to particular topics, such as defense or energy. In other cases, they will be technical, such as the ability to design and improve simulation models. In a similar vein, CBO plans to invest additional resources in bolstering analysts' ability to coordinate work that requires expertise from across the agency. Another objective is to give additional senior analysts responsibility for projects that span multiple subject areas.
The budgetary increase that CBO is requesting would allow it to increase its efforts to be responsive. In 2026, CBO plans to hire additional staff to conduct more analysis of changes to health care programs, border security, credit programs (like student loans), and the U.S. population (particularly because of changes in immigration) and of dynamic policy effects (that is, determining how changes in fiscal policies would affect the economy and how those economic changes would, in turn, affect the budget)--areas in which CBO expects the Congress to have increased interest. It also plans to hire additional staff to produce more timely cost estimates and fulfill more Congressional requests for technical assistance, particularly in the areas that involve complicated modeling.
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Enhancing Transparency
CBO works hard to make its analysis transparent
and plans to strengthen those efforts, building on the increased emphasis that it has placed on the endeavor over the past several years. In 2025 and 2026, many of CBO's employees will spend part of their time on making the agency's analyses more transparent.
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Testifying and Publishing Answers to Questions
In 2025 and 2026, CBO expects to testify about its baseline projections and other topics in response to requests by the Congress. That work will involve presenting oral remarks, answering questions at hearings, and presenting written statements, as well as publishing answers to Members' questions for the record. CBO will continue to address issues raised as part of the oversight provided by the House and Senate Budget Committees and the Congress generally.
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Explaining Analytical Methods
CBO plans to publish material providing general information to help Members of Congress, their staff, and others better understand its work, including its general approach and particular applications of its methods. For example, a report will explain the agency's approach to modeling the effects of import tariffs and carbon border adjustments on trade in energy-intensive goods. Working papers, too, will provide such explanations for various topics, and in some cases, CBO will be able to publish the computer code used in models. In addition, most cost estimates will include a section describing the basis of the estimate.
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Releasing Data
In 2025 and 2026, CBO will maintain its practice of publishing extensive sets of data to accompany its major recurring reports, including detailed information about 10-year budget projections, historical budget outcomes, 10-year projections for federal trust funds, revenue projections by category, spending projections by budget account, tax parameters, effective marginal tax rates on labor and capital, and 10-year projections of economic variables, including the economy's potential (or sustainable) output.
The agency will also provide details about its baseline projections, for example, for the Federal Pell Grant Program, student loan programs, Medicare, military retirement, the Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation, Social Security Disability Insurance, Social Security Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, the Social Security trust funds, child nutrition programs, the Child Support Enforcement and Child Support Collections programs, foster care and adoption assistance, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, unemployment compensation, the Department of
Agriculture's mandatory farm programs, federal programs that guarantee mortgages, programs funded by the Highway Trust Fund, benefits under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, and veterans' disability compensation and pensions.
Other data will provide details about long-term budget projections, projections underlying Social Security estimates, more than a thousand expired or expiring authorizations of appropriations, and dozens of federal credit programs. When CBO analyzes the President's budget request, it will post a set of files providing estimates of the budgetary effects of specific proposals. The agency will also continue to post the data underlying various reports' charts and tables.
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Analyzing the Accuracy of CBO's Estimates
In 2025 and 2026, CBO will continue to release reports analyzing the accuracy of its projections in comparison with actual outcomes, including a review of the accuracy of its outlay and revenue projections for the previous year, as well as some periodic reviews of the accuracy of its projections of revenues, outlays, deficits, and debt over time. CBO will also look back at the accuracy of its cost estimates when the necessary data are available.
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Comparing Current Estimates With Previous Ones
In several of its recurring publications--reports about the budget and economic outlook, federal subsidies for health insurance, and the long-term budget outlook-- CBO will continue to explain the differences between the current year's projections and those produced in the previous year. In its cost estimates, CBO will continue to identify related legislative provisions for which it has provided recent estimates and explain the extent to which the provisions and estimates at hand are similar or different.
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Comparing CBO's Estimates With Those of Other Organizations
CBO will compare its budget projections with the Administration's and its economic projections with those of private forecasters and other government agencies when possible. In addition, in various reports, the agency will include comparisons of its estimates with estimates made by other organizations. When time does not allow for publication but interest is great, analysts will discuss such comparisons with Congressional staff.
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Estimating the Effects of Policy Alternatives
In 2025 and 2026, to assist policymakers and analysts who may hold differing views about the most useful benchmark for considering possible changes to laws (and to make the consequences of alternative policies more transparent), CBO will estimate the effects that some alternative assumptions about future policies would have on budgetary outcomes.
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Characterizing the Uncertainty of Estimates
CBO's budget and economic estimates will continue to aim to be in the middle of a range of likely outcomes under a given set of policies. The agency's reports about the 10-year outlook for the budget and the economy, the long-term outlook for the budget, and federal subsidies for health insurance will contain substantial discussions of the uncertainty of CBO's projections (and the limitations of its analyses) to help policymakers understand the factors that might cause estimates or outcomes to differ in the future. In addition, in most cost estimates in which uncertainty is significant, CBO will include a discussion of the topic.
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Creating Data Visualizations
In 2025 and 2026, CBO will provide information about its budget and economic projections in slide decks and create infographics about actual outlays and revenues.
The agency will also produce more reports that rely principally on visual presentations.
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Conducting Outreach
CBO will continue to communicate regularly with Congressional staff and others outside the agency to explain its findings and methods, respond to questions, and obtain feedback. The agency's Director will meet frequently with Members of Congress to do the same.
After each set of baseline projections is published, CBO's staff will meet with Congressional staff to discuss the projections and answer questions.
CBO will continue its practice of routinely consulting with many outside experts who represent a variety of perspectives as it develops cost estimates and other analyses. In addition, CBO's staff will, as usual, give presentations on various topics to Congressional staff and outside experts to gain feedback on the agency's work.
Many reports will benefit from outside experts' written comments on preliminary versions. For some recurring reports produced on compressed timetables, such as the one about CBO's long-term budget projections, the agency will solicit comments on previous editions and selected technical issues to incorporate improvements in future editions.
As it does each year, CBO will convene experts on its Panel of Economic Advisers (PEA) and Panel of Health Advisers (PHA), who provide feedback on many topics, including the agency's forecasting methods and models.
The agency hosts meetings of the advisers--once a year with its PHA and twice with its PEA--and solicits their views between meetings as well. Congressional staff also attend the meetings. (Lists of the members of those panels and agendas for the meetings can be found on CBO's website.)
The topics discussed at the meetings usually reflect areas of sustained interest by the Congress and help improve CBO's relevant analysis. For example, CBO's September 2021 PHA meeting included a session on telehealth, an area for which CBO was working to improve its modeling capabilities so it could better estimate the effects of applicable legislation. To take another example, CBO's September 2024 PHA meeting included sessions on new medical technology and the long-term effects of preventive health care, with the goal of improving and enhancing the agency's analysis of genetic testing for early detection of cancer, hepatitis-C, sickle-cell disease, and obesity--all topics on which CBO has recently published analyses in response to Congressional requests.
Similarly, meetings of the PEA cover areas of intense Congressional focus as well as CBO's pending economic forecast. For example, central to the discussion at CBO's November 2024 meeting were the budgetary and economic effects of the expiring provisions of the 2017 tax act--an area in which CBO continues to improve and refine its analysis.
In 2026, CBO will spend about $33,000 on its PHA, similar to the amount it spent in 2024 and plans to spend in 2025. That amount provides for a small honorarium for members and costs associated with hosting a meeting at CBO. CBO plans to spend about $59,000 on its PEA in 2026 to cover the costs of honoraria and two meetings.
CBO's staff will give presentations on Capitol Hill on CBO's budget and economic projections and on other topics. In those presentations, CBO will explain its work and answer questions. The agency will also give presentations about its findings and about work in progress in a variety of venues to offer explanations and gather feedback. It will also use blog posts to summarize and highlight various issues. In addition, it will work to answer questions from the press in a timely fashion and connect members of the media with CBO's products as they are published.
Finally, to keep the Congress informed of its work, CBO will continue its practice of sending emails to interested staff notifying them about recently released reports and cost estimates. The agency will also continue publishing a quarterly newsletter, CBO's Quarter in Review, which is a roundup of the agency's most recent publications and cost estimates. The newsletter is a companion to quarterly reports listing recent publications and work in progress, which may include reports, working papers, testimonies, interactive tools, infographics, and cost estimates.
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This testimony summarizes information in the Congressional Budget Office's budget request for fiscal year 2026.
That budget request was prepared by Leigh Angres, Tracy L. Henry, Joyce Shin, and Kamna Virmani (formerly of CBO) with assistance from Dana Ealey, Kevin Laden, and Damon Whitley and with guidance from Mark Smith.
It is available at www.cbo.gov/publication/61161.
Mark Hadley reviewed the testimony. John Skeen edited it, and Jorge Salazar created the graphics and prepared the text for publication. The testimony is available at www.cbo.gov/publication/61333.
CBO seeks feedback to make its work as useful as possible. Please send comments to communications@cbo.gov.
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Original text, figures and table here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/phillip_swagel_testimony_42925.pdf
American Association for the Advancement of Science CEO Parikh Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Committee
WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following written testimony by Sudip S. Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, from an April 30, 2025, hearing entitled "Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge in Innovation":* * *
Chair Collins, Vice Chair Murray, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I am Sudip Parikh, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the executive publisher of Science magazine and the Science family of journals. The ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following written testimony by Sudip S. Parikh, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, from an April 30, 2025, hearing entitled "Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge in Innovation": * * * Chair Collins, Vice Chair Murray, and Members of the Committee, thank you for the opportunity to testify today. I am Sudip Parikh, chief executive officer of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and the executive publisher of Science magazine and the Science family of journals. TheAAAS mission is to advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all or -- simply put -- to advance science and serve society.
We live in a world where a child born with cystic fibrosis has every hope of becoming a grandparent -- when just a few years ago they might have died in their teens. A world in which a mother with sickle cell anemia has not needed a blood transfusion in more than five years and is able to care for her children without debilitating pain. A world in which the most common type of childhood leukemia has gone from a death sentence to a 90% survival rate. A world where Magic Johnson is still alive more than three decades after being diagnosed with HIV.
These are miracles made possible by a biomedical research ecosystem developed in the United States that is the greatest engine for discovery in service to health that the world has ever known. This ecosystem includes a vibrant biotech and pharmaceutical industry, effective philanthropy, innovative academicians, multiple government funding and regulatory agencies, passionate patient advocates, diverse sources of capital investment, and talent from across the United States and around the world. And it starts here in the halls of Congress where you -- each and every one of you -- is a champion on behalf of your constituents, who overwhelmingly support biomedical research. Miracles do happen -- and the United States has led the way in making them happen for eight decades.
Despite these successes, many tragedies remain -- chronic diseases, cancer, drug addiction, suicide, and other maladies take far too many lives and lower our overall life expectancy. One thing I think everyone with whom I speak agrees is that we must ensure our world-leading biomedical research ecosystem addresses all the challenges confronting Americans. Unfortunately, today our leadership is at grave risk.
Let me start by saying that even while producing medical miracles, good jobs, and economic growth, our ecosystem includes inefficiencies as well as opportunities for improvement. It is understandable that the Administration is seeking ways to increase efficiency, optimize structures, and reduce regulatory and administrative burden. As chair of the task force that described a new Vision for American Science & Technology (VAST), I have also voiced these goals.
Unfortunately, the implementation and execution of these efforts have caused both collateral and targeted damage to the biomedical research enterprise and -- if rumored proposed budgets for 2026 are realized - will hand leadership of biomedical research to China and, even more devastatingly, dismantle the engine of hope and prosperity for millions of Americans.
This is not theoretical. I have seen first-hand the incredible investment in scientific research made in China -- in labs, equipment, and people. Stifel issued a report recently showing that more than 37% of pharmaceutical licensing deals above a certain level involved a Chinese biopharma company. The trend line is going up quickly - it was at zero as recently as 2019. We are rapidly losing our competitive edge, and the dollars we are putting into buying pharmaceuticals will not be reinvested into the American economy. Instead, our drug costs will fund someone else's investment.
Right now, the scientific research community is facing multiple challenges that create a cascading effect on the health and strength of our nation's innovation ecosystem. These challenges are coming from some ill-conceived implementation and execution of otherwise worthy goals to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse.
* Seemingly indiscriminate reductions in force
* Wholesale immediate cancellations of grants and contracts without clear explanation and understanding of implications
* Cancellation of training support for the next generation of scientists
The stoppage of funding for almost entire institutions like the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in West Virginia and Pennsylvania are creating great uncertainty and angst within the scientific enterprise. An arbitrary reduction in contracts funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has resulted in cancellation notices to the principal investigators of the Women's Health Initiative (later rescinded) and the RURAL Cohort Study taking place in Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kentucky.
These -- and many more examples across the country -- are damaging actions being carried out.
Critically, too many game-changing decisions are being made by individuals with little to no understanding of the complex ecosystem and without the benefit of input from Senate-confirmed Presidential appointees. Jay Bhattacharya as NIH Director, Dario Gil as Undersecretary of Energy, Michael Kratsios as Office of Science and Technology Policy Director, Jared Isaacman as NASA Administrator, and Susan Monarez as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director are among the expert leaders who have either not yet or just recently been confirmed. Their expertise, vision, and understanding of the scientific enterprise have not been inserted into these extraordinary decisions.
You have seen the effects in your own states and on high-priority programs. You've been following it because you care about patients, their families, and about the biomedical research that gives them hope for treatments and cures. Every member of this Committee has been a champion of biomedical research across the federal government -- from National Laboratories in the Department of Energy, to the critical research at the Department of Veterans Affairs in support of those who have served our country, to the physical sciences underpinning biomedical research at the National Science Foundation and the National Institute of Standards and Technology. I have watched you lead - the miracles and economic growth I noted at the beginning of my statement would not have been possible without your leadership. Our federal support of biomedical research is an investment in our nation's health, prosperity, and security.
Several near-term challenges could weaken the foundation of what has made our biomedical research and innovation system the envy of the world. The basic pillars necessary to propel the U.S. research enterprise to push the boundaries of scientific discovery, prepare the science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) workforce, and advance S&T knowledge into therapies, tools, and commercial products include people, investments, and infrastructure, as well as the policy environment that makes or breaks them.
1) The possibility of impoundment or rescission of FY 2025 funds: Over the past three months the rate of obligation of funds appropriated to the NIH, NSF, and other science agencies has slowed dramatically. This slowing is not from a lack of health improving opportunities, scientific ideas or grant proposals, but rather due to the near paralysis in the structures built to review and process those proposals. Federal research grants and contracts are being cancelled, and entire efforts are being shut down; merit-review panels are constrained in determining which research proposals deserve awards; and the prospect of impoundment of the final fiscal year (FY) 2025 funding looms. It is vital that federal research agencies fully obligate the final FY 2025 appropriations as Congress intended, but we have not yet seen spend plans from the administration.
2) The possibility of catastrophic cuts to FY2026 funding: In the coming weeks, the President will introduce his budget request for FY 2026. Several leaked documents reportedly indicate that the request may propose cutting the NIH budget by 20% to 44%. I hope this is wrong, but this level of funding would mean fewer treatments for cancers, slower progress toward our understanding of Alzheimer's and dementia, and diminished resources for fighting the opioid crisis, threatening the health and livelihoods of Americans in every town, every region, and every state across the United States. Let us be clear. Cuts this drastic would mean the loss of America's global leadership in biomedical research for a generation or more.
3) Haphazard changes to organizational structures: Congress has a critical role to play in any reorganization of the NIH. I applaud the transparent, inclusive, and deliberative process led by Senator Cassidy to consider plans for NIH optimization. I am further encouraged by recent remarks made by Director Bhattacharya, noting that he would seek a lot of advice when it comes to the NIH budget and reorganization. That advice should come from all sectors and include individuals with requisite expertise in science and the scientific process, as well as expertise of the NIH and its relationship with academic and industrial sectors, and more importantly the patients that benefit from that research. The leadership of NIH should be able to propose a vision, work with Congress, and engage with the research and patient communities to optimize its structure. We need that conversation.
4) A 15% cap on institutional Facilities and Administrative (F&A) expenses at some federal agencies: I will not suggest that our current system is perfect or even good, but an arbitrary blanket cap is not the way to fix the system. In fact, a cap this low this quickly would dramatically damage institutions in every state. Scientific research funding, including F&A expense reimbursement, is a partnership between the federal government and institutions to support the capacity to do research. This partnership in every state has built the infrastructure to do world-class science, but it has also grown in regulatory complexity to the point it is creaking from its own weight. The AAAS does not have a formal position on F&A, but I appreciate Congress' recognition that the research community should develop new models that are simpler, more transparent, and more easily determined to be fair. The research community stands ready to have that conversation.
Investments in science, facilities, and equipment cannot advance discovery alone. We need people, including scientists, technicians, engineers, and clinical trial participants. The majority are not PhDs or MDs. We need the passion, curiosity, and risk-taking that scientists and others bring to the lab and the classroom to explore and advance scientific knowledge. We need their hard work, dedication, and their connection to the communities in which they live. One example of many I could give comes from the National Science Foundation (NSF) where the number of NSF Graduate Research Fellowships has been cut by over 50%. These are the highest potential students from all over our nation. They are in every field in the physical and life sciences. From anywhere in the country, these fellowships enable our early-career scientists to go as far as their talent and drive can take them. Many go on to become scientific leaders in the biomedical research ecosystem and beyond.
With these reductions, we are sending a message to the next generation of early-career scientists and engineers that the future of the U.S. research enterprise is not just in question - it is bleak. In fact, I have spoken with undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral researchers who are worried about whether they should even continue their scientific pursuits or switch careers. And mid-career and senior scientists are also questioning their role in contributing to the U.S. research enterprise.
We have given a green light to our allies and competitors alike to take advantage of this opportunity to lure the brilliant minds here in the U.S. to bring their expertise to their higher-education institutions and research labs, and to generate their innovations. We are already seeing countries like France, Ireland, Denmark, Canada, Australia, and China increase recruitment efforts to attract U.S.-based scientists. The United States is not the only source of innovation. Make no mistake: if an effective treatment for Alzheimer's disease comes from Birmingham, Alabama, or Beijing, Americans will be thankful to use it and applaud those who contributed to it -- but as an American, I want the benefits of that discovery and development to accrue to the United States. We need to ask ourselves, is the next "golden era" of biomedical research going to be in the U.S.? Or is it going to be in China, Europe, or elsewhere? Who will make the discoveries and who will set the standards governing how science is conducted?
I have come here to discuss these challenges because I am determined to find common ground about how we can protect and strengthen the U.S. scientific enterprise, which has been a gold standard globally for nearly a century. In the past few months, I have visited labs across America -- from California to Kansas, Missouri to North Carolina, Tennessee to New Jersey. Everywhere scientists are gravely concerned but remain dedicated to what science can accomplish. They are working toward the needs of their communities, our country, and the world. Scientists in academia and industry, patient advocates, and research institutions are coming together to solve problems and are looking to Congress, the Administration, and Senate-confirmed agency leaders to share a vision and support for continued American leadership in biomedical research. We want to work together for more miracles, for better overall health, and for a more prosperous America.
But we must be the protagonists of our own story. Each and every one of you has a role to play to decide the funding and policy priorities that will define our nation's trajectory as an innovation leader. The challenges I have identified are urgent and need your attention now. The enterprise, which has benefited our society for decades, is resilient, but there is a breaking point -- and we are close to reaching it. If we allow it to break, we cannot simply put it back together again next year. It took generations to build it, and it will take generations to rebuild it. I am optimistic we can find a way forward together.
Thank you.
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Original text here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/sudip_parikh_testimony_43025.pdf
Alliance for a Stronger FDA Executive Director Esham Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Committee
WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by E. Cartier Esham, executive director of the Alliance for a Stronger Food and Drug Administration, from an April 30, 2025, hearing entitled "Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge in Innovation":* * *
Good morning, Chairwoman Collins and Ranking Member Murray and Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee. My name is Cartier Esham, and I serve as the Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA. Thank you for the opportunity to share with you our insights on what is needed to keep America's ... Show Full Article WASHINGTON, May 8 -- The Senate Appropriations Committee released the following testimony by E. Cartier Esham, executive director of the Alliance for a Stronger Food and Drug Administration, from an April 30, 2025, hearing entitled "Biomedical Research: Keeping America's Edge in Innovation": * * * Good morning, Chairwoman Collins and Ranking Member Murray and Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee. My name is Cartier Esham, and I serve as the Executive Director of the Alliance for a Stronger FDA. Thank you for the opportunity to share with you our insights on what is needed to keep America'sposition as the global leader in biomedical research.
The Alliance for a Stronger FDA is a group of more than 150 FDA stakeholders, including consumer and patient advocates, research advocates, health professions societies, biopharmaceutical companies, and trade associations. This diverse group of advocates are united about the vital role the FDA plays in safeguarding health, fostering innovation, and maintaining the United States' global leadership in biomedical research and development. And while this hearing and my testimony are focused on the impact of FDA on biomedical research, I would like to convey the importance of the role FDA serves in ensuring the safety of our nation's food and cosmetic supply. FDA oversees and monitors the safety of domestic and imported foods, working to prevent contamination, foodborne illnesses, and fraudulent labeling. It also regulates drugs, devices, animal food and animal food additives for over 100 million companion animals and more than 10 billion food animals. Strong FDA support and oversight is essential for increasing consumer confidence in everyday products, from produce and dairy to packaged goods and dietary supplements.
The biomedical research ecosystem in the United States is propelled by:
1) Support for foundational research that continues to advance our understanding of the underlying causes of diseases and how to prevent, cure and treat them;
2) Support for research and policies that enable the advancement and adoption of new technologies that can, among other things, improve clinical outcomes, increase use of patient perspective data, support continued understanding of clinical benefits, and expedite the path from the bench to the bedside;
3) Support for biomedical research and policies that enable the timely advancement of scientific discovery to human clinical trials; and
4) An FDA that works to innovate the regulatory environment and has the expertise, tools and capacity required to keep pace with scientific and technological advancements and to provide efficient reviews and approvals of medical interventions that are based on a gold standard of efficacy.
Support for these biomedical innovation pillars are also drivers of private investment into next generation medicines and medtech.1 An FDA that is not innovative, not able to keep pace with technological and scientific advancements or not able to manage its workload in an optimal manner will negatively impact continued investment in next generation medical interventions that could cure or vastly improve the quality of lives for millions of Americans and their families.
The U.S. biopharmaceutical industry directly employs over 1 million people and supports more than 3.8 million additional U.S. jobs./2
In 2024 there were 5,318 clinical trial starts returning to pre-pandemic levels after a multi-year decline. The United States accounted for 35% of these clinical trial starts, China accounted for 30% and Europe for 21%. The majority of these clinical trial starts (63%) were launched by emerging biopharma companies./3
This is a particular important statistic when you consider that these companies are mainly pre-revenue and their ability to continue to raise funds for clinical development programs is heavily influenced by whether there is a regulatory agency such as the FDA with the expertise, capacity and forward leaning approaches required to review novel medicines./1
In 2024 there were 14,870 active commercial and research investigational new drug programs at the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research Center (CDER) representing a 38% increase since 2014. Globally, clinical trial starts for cell and gene therapies have tripled since 2015 (171 vs 533)./4
CBER was managing 2,500 clinical trials in 2023 with more than 3,000 trials in pre-clinical development.5 These pipelines represent the potential for improving the lives of millions of patients and their families. Right now, there are a tremendous number of trials focused on rare diseases and over 3,400 clinical trials focused on neurodegenerative, neuromuscular and psychiatric disorders. Alzheimer's disease, depression and Parkinson's disease each have had 200 trials launched over the past 5 years./3,6
In 2024 the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research approved 50 novel medicines - 34 of which were approved in the U.S. first, as well as 371 first time generics and 18 biosimilars./7,8
The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research approved 19 novel medicines./9
Among these approvals was the first new mechanism of action approved for the treatment of schizophrenia in decades. This new treatment has the potential to improve the lives of the 3.7 million Americans who suffer from this disease. In 2024, the FDA also approved the first ever treatment for the 15 million Americans suffering from non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and a new cell therapy treatment for solid cancers (tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes cell therapy)./10
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1 No Patient Left Behind Letter to Senate HELP Comm. on Preserving and Modernizing the FDA
2 McClung, 2024. Biopharmaceutical industry supports jobs and drives economic growth across U.S.
3 Global Trends in R&D 2025, IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science.
4 FDA-TRACK: CDER
5 Brennan. Endpoints. 2023
6 IQVIA - From Orphan to Opportunity: Mastering Rare Disease Launch Excellence (2024)
7 CDER: New Drug Approvals 2024
8 Generic Drugs Programs Activities Report FY 2024
9 Mulero. BioSpace.2023.
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Over the past 5 years there has been 143 orphan drug treatments launched in the U.S., and while this is sign of great progress, much more work needs to be done with 95% of patients with rare diseases still without substantive treatments./6
Most of the novel medicines approved in 2024 continued to be launched in the U.S. first (48), 60% of which were first-in-class medicines./3
Among the U.S. launches, 63% were done by emerging biopharma companies. Four EU member countries (France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and the UK has the second highest number of novel medicine launches (38, a 23% increase from 2023), and 35 were launched in China (a 47% increase from 2015-2019). China has continued to reduce the time between its first global launch and launch in China to 3.7 years (down from 9.6 years from 2005-2009). Interestingly, most international R&D merger and acquisitions and licensing deals involving Chinese companies were outward with an international entity acquiring or in-licensing from China./3
This year Chinese companies have accounted for 42% of deals worth $50M or more, an increase of 20% from 2023 according to data from DealForma./11
The strength of the FDA is an important influencing factor in determining where first launches occur.1 Medtech is responsible for two million direct and indirect jobs in the United States./12
The U.S. is a global leader in the medical device industry supporting $43 billion in exports. It is important to note that China has identified medical devices as a priority for increasing its domestic capabilities./13
This sector is projected to continue to grow over the next five years with global sales projected to reach $800 billion by 2030 due to increasing demand for wearable medtech and health data collection services./14
Approximately 82% of medical device companies are small companies which like biopharmaceutical companies depend on an FDA that has the expertise and capacity to conduct timely review of their product to advance their innovations./12
The Center for Devices and Radiological Health manages 248,400 regulated devices and there are over 7,000 different types of devices including pacemakers, hearing aids, vascular stent systems, lasers and ultrasound equipment. In 2024 CDRH authorized 120 novel devices and received over 24,400 submissions. The number of innovative medical devices authorized by CDRH has increased 5-fold since 2009./15
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10 Mullard. Nature Reviews. 2025. Vol. 24
11 Whitlock. Endpoints. 2025
12 AdvaMed Annual Report. 2024 Year in Review
13 Medical Devices Fact Sheet1 - U.S. Chamber
14 KPMG Medical Devices 2030
15 CDRH 2024 Annual Report
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Over the past ten years, the FDA has worked to improve the regulatory environment for medical devices.16 There has been a statistically significant increase in the proportion of U.S. first launches from 2013 and 1 in 5 of those had expedited review, an indicator of how regulatory reforms can influence global trends./17
The overall number of devices that were launched first in the U.S. or in parallel with other countries increased from 54.8% in 2022 to 64.9% in 2024./14
Over the past few years, FDA has authorized exciting new medtech including the first over-the-counter continuous glucose monitor, an AI enabled system for pediatric autism diagnosis, Air pods now cleared as over-the-counter hearing aids, a spine simulator that is designed to restore the function of the upper extremities for patients with spinal cord injuries, and an artificial heart that was implanted in human for the first time./15,18
As we look at the advancement of technology and medicine, in 2024 there were 12 AI/ML (artificial intelligence/machine learning) biopharmaceutical deals to support, among other things, protein optimization, drug discovery, and patient cohort identification and we saw the launch of the world's first AI-generated gene editor (OpenCRISPR-1). The number of drug and biologic applications submitted to the FDA using AI/ML increased 12-fold between 2020 and 2022./3
Over the past 10 years FDA approvals of AI/ML enabled medical devices has increased quite significantly with nearly 1,000 authorized as of December 2024./15,19
These are examples of why it is critically important that the FDA be provided the necessary resources to keep pace with medical and technological advancements, so the benefits of these technologies are fully realized by the American public.
Closing Remarks
It cannot be overstated how critical the role of the FDA is for safeguarding health, fostering innovation, and maintaining the United States' global leadership in biomedical research and development. The agency's highly skilled cadre of scientists, medical experts, and regulatory professionals, with employees stationed in all 50 states, allow medical breakthroughs to reach patients safely and efficiently. From overseeing the clinical development of new medical devices, drugs and biologics, to determining whether a medical intervention met the gold standard for approval and continued oversight of approved products, the FDA's workforce acts as a bridge between groundbreaking science and patient access, facilitating the transformation of laboratory discoveries into real-world treatments. We all share a common goal and understanding that a strong, well-functioning and innovative FDA is essential to the well-being of millions of Americans and for ensuring American leadership and global competitiveness in emerging science and technology and we are here to help achieve that goal.
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16 Shuren J. CDRH announces expansion of the Total Product Life Cycle Advisory Program. July 1, 2024. Accessed October 10, 2024.
17 Kadakia et. al. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 Dec 6;7(12):e2449298. doi
18 https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/device-approvals-and-clearances/recently-approved-devicesCDRH
19 Tjoe et. al. Insight.2024. FDA Approvals of AI Medical Devices Rises Rapidly
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Original text here: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/cartier_esham_testimony_430251.pdf