On Thursday, May 21, the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee held a hearing on the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget request. The hearing included testimony from NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, MD, PhD, and NCI Director Anthony Letai, MD, PhD. Members discussed a range of issues relevant to academic cancer centers and the broader biomedical research enterprise, including grant funding, workforce stability, research infrastructure, and access to clinical trials. Below are a few highlights from the hearing.
Ranking Member Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) repeatedly pressed NIH leadership on delays in grant awards, slow movement of Notices of Funding Opportunities (NOFOs) and Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and the downstream effects of expanded multi-year ("forward-funded") grants. Both senators tied these issues to fewer competing awards, institutional uncertainty, and strain on the biomedical research workforce.
NIH leadership acknowledged challenges associated with the transition but maintained that appropriated funds will be fully obligated and that NIH remains committed to supporting meritorious science. The hearing occurred amid broader concern within the research community regarding NIH’s increased use of forward funding, with academic institutions and research organizations warning that the practice may reduce the number of new competing awards available in a given fiscal year and contribute to workforce instability and lower success rates. A recent survey compiled by AACI in partnership with the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) found that 86 percent of responding cancer centers reported experiencing FY 2026 NIH grant delays, with 80 percent stating they were given no explanation for the delays.
Several senators raised concerns about early-career investigators reconsidering research careers because of low success rates and instability in the funding environment. Members repeatedly referenced the importance of maintaining a strong biomedical workforce pipeline and ensuring opportunities for young investigators. Dr. Bhattacharya acknowledged these concerns and described them as a longstanding structural challenge facing the biomedical research enterprise.
Subcommittee Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) strongly criticized the proposed 15 percent cap on indirect costs and defended the importance of infrastructure support for research institutions.
In response, Dr. Bhattacharya repeatedly argued that NIH funding remains concentrated among a relatively small number of institutions and discussed broader structural reform concepts, including potentially separating facilities and infrastructure support from grant competition to expand research capacity in rural and historically underfunded states.
Senators Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jerry Moran (R-KS), and John Boozman (R-AR) also emphasized the importance of strengthening research infrastructure outside traditional research hubs.
Multiple senators highlighted the importance of strengthening oncology infrastructure and expanding clinical trial access in underserved and rural communities. Dr. Letai strongly endorsed NCI-Designated Cancer Centers as engines of both care delivery and research that improve standards of care nationwide. Members also expressed concern that operational and regulatory pressures are increasingly contributing to early-phase clinical trials moving overseas.
Democratic members repeatedly questioned whether political ideology was influencing research priorities or grantmaking decisions. Dr. Bhattacharya consistently responded that funding decisions should be based on scientific merit and the potential to improve health outcomes.
Overall, the hearing demonstrated continued bipartisan support for NIH and cancer research while also highlighting growing tensions around the distribution of NIH funding, the pace of grantmaking, and whether current policies are contributing to instability within the biomedical research enterprise.
Related Links:
February 2026 AACI Commentary: Multi-Year Funding's Dramatic Impact on Biomedical Research and Federal Grant Distribution
AACI Presidential Initiative: Understanding Access to Cancer Care
Take Action: Improve Access to Clinical Trials