Trump Budget Plan Targets Deep Cuts to NIH

WASHINGTON (NEXTERM) — This week, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee emphasized the possible negative impacts of proposed budget reductions for the National Institutes of Health under the Trump administration with the aim of preventing these cuts from being implemented.

U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) supported the University of Mississippi Medical Center’s initiative to achieve designation as a National Cancer Institute center. At present, such centers do not exist in her state or in neighboring states like Louisiana and Arkansas.

“This scenario necessitates that residents of Mississippi journey long distances to receive specialized cancer treatment,” stated Hyde-Smith.

“As your neighbor, I fully comprehend the heavy burden of cancer that your state faces,” stated Dr. Barry Paul Sleckman, who directs the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. This center indeed holds the National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation.

Sleckman informed the committee that possible reductions in funding could hinder these prospects for emerging research and therapies.

“They will need to hold onto them for an extended duration,” he stated.

The Trump administration presented its 2026 budget proposal on Friday, urging Congress to cut the overall NIH budget substantially by almost half, reducing it from approximately $48 billion down to $30 billion.

“There haven’t been any real cuts,” stated NIH Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya.

Rather, Bhattacharya stated that the organization is undergoing “a restructuring of priorities.”

To concentrate on the illnesses genuinely affecting the American population,” he stated. “It’s not about reducing funds. Quite the contrary.

The budget proposal keeps $27 billion allocated for NIH research but does not provide specifics about these funds.

The U.S. Senate Health Committee will hold a hearing on the president’s budget on Wednesday. During this hearing, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who supervises the NIH, intends to provide testimony.

To stay updated with the most recent news, weather forecasts, sports updates, and live streams, visit KSNF/KODE | FourStatesHomepage.com.