Blunt-Backed NIH Investments Support $1.6 Billion in Economic Activity, More Than 9,000 Jobs in Missouri

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (MO.), Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies (Labor/HHS), released the following statement regarding newly-released data from United for Medical Research showing that National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding generated nearly $1.6 billion in new economic activity and supported 9,149 Missouri jobs in FY2019:

“Missouri is home to several top research institutions, drawing more than $655 million in NIH funding over the past year. With an economic impact of nearly $1.6 billion, that means every dollar Missouri receives has more than double the impact on our economy. Add to that the long-term cost savings that come with better treatments and cures and it is clear that maintaining a federal commitment to medical research isn’t just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do.”

As Labor/HHS chairman, Blunt has worked to secure five consecutive, substantial increases for NIH. The most recent appropriations bill, which was signed into law in December 2019, included a $2.6 billion increase for NIH, bringing the five-year total increase to $11.6 billion, or more than 38%, under Blunt’s subcommittee chairmanship. The NIH funding increases have been achieved, in part, by eliminating more than 30 ineffective or duplicative programs. The influx in funding has restored more than half of the purchasing power NIH lost since its peak in fiscal year 2003.

In a recent Fox News op-ed, Blunt joined House Labor/HHS Appropriations Ranking Member Tom Cole (Okla.) in making the case for federal investment in NIH-funded research, which has contributed to the first increase in life expectancy since 2014.

The United for Medical Research report found that, nationwide, NIH-funded research had an impact of $81.22 billion in new economic activity, and directly and indirectly supported 475,905 jobs in FY2019. Over Blunt’s Labor/HHS chairmanship, that equates to an increase of $20.5 billion in economic activity and 123,556 new jobs nationwide.