SUPPLEMENTAL FOVA MATERIALS

Handout - Proposed FY 2009 Cut in VA Research

House Veterans Affairs Committee - Views & Estimate

Democratic
Republican

Senate Veterans Affairs Committee - Views & Estimates Hearing - February 13, 2008

Democratic
Republican

Talking Points Re: Proposed FY 2009 Cut for VA Research

The Administration’s Proposed FY 2009 Budget:

Falls short:  Considering the proven success of the VA research program, FOVA is disappointed with the President’s proposal of $442 million for VA research in FY 2009.  The proposal fails to maintain funding at the level appropriated in FY 2008.  If enacted, the proposed $38 million (8%) cut will lead to significant programmatic reductions and will impede research advances in diseases and injuries that impact the veteran population.  According to the President’s proposal, VA will cut funding for research in central nervous system injury by 20%; acute and traumatic injury, military occupations and environmental exposure, and substance abuse by 18%; and mental illness by 15%.

Makes no accommodation for biomedical research inflation. VA research awards are typically three to five years in duration. However, scientific advancement can entail many more years and requires steady, sustainable funding. To maintain the current level of VA research activity, biomedical research inflation must be accommodated with an increase of approximately $20 million in each of the next three years (3.5 percent for FY 2009 through FY 2011).

Provides no designated funding to renovate or upgrade VA’s increasingly out of date research facilities. Research needs typically do not compete well with hospital requests for VHA Minor Construction funding for heating, elevators, etc., projects costing up to $6 million. This appropriation is slated for a $301 million cut (-48%).

VA’s Budget Proposal Assumes Increases in Non-VA Funding

VA optimistically projects that during FY 2009, VA investigators will successfully compete for an additional $43 million in funding from other federal agencies and $4 million from private sector sources. As a result, VA support for its own research program, which it projects will amount to $1.4 billion under the FY 2009 budget proposal, would shrink to 32% of the total.

VA should not depend on other agencies to fund research in areas important to veterans. FOVA applauds VA for its initiatives encompassing the needs of service personnel returning from Iraq and Afghanistan including polytrauma from blast injuries – often involving amputations, brain injury, and sensory loss -- massive burns, and mental health. However, such expansion requires new resources so VA can sustain its commitment to research that affects the long term health of large numbers of veterans with acute conditions such as cancer and heart diseases as well as those with diabetes and other chronic lung, kidney, liver, digestive and infectious diseases. Further, a $47 million increase in extramural funding during FY 2009 is it is unrealistic for several reasons:

Growth in funding for other federal research programs has leveled off so competition for grants will remain fierce.
In order to be an attractive research partner, VA must demonstrate its own commitment to research by investing its own appropriated funds.
At many sites, VA’s research infrastructure is inadequate to support cutting edge research so VA is unable to compete with universities as the performance site of choice.

FY 2009 Budget Request

Friends of VA Medical Care and Health Research (FOVA),
The Independent Budget Endorsers (IB) and the
Federation of Scientists in Experimental Biology (FASEB)

Call on Congress to:

Support an FY 2009 appropriation for VA Medical and Prosthetics Research of $555 million.
Add $45 million to the Minor Construction appropriation for research facility improvements.

FOVA also asks Congress to refrain from directing VA R&D funds to specific areas of research or investigators. VA is an intramural research program requiring that investigators must hold at least a 5/8 VA appointment to be eligible for funding. Additionally, VA has a highly regarded peer review process to ensure that its limited project funds support high quality science consistent with veterans’ priority needs.