NAEVR Update on President's FY23 Budget Request

NAEVR Update on President's FY23 Budget Request

FY23 Vision Research Federal Appropriations Update
On March 28, the Administration released the President’s FY23 budget request. The National Alliance for Eye and Vision Research (NAEVR) issued a statement about funding for the National Eye Institute (NEI) and supports the statement issued by the Ad Hoc Group for Medical Research – of which it is a member – expressing concern that the budget request for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) does not sufficiently address the needs of the Institutes.

It's important to understand that due to the timing of the FY22 budget being passed by Congress March 10, the Administration used FY22 Continuing Resolution funding to base their budget requests for FY23, (essentially FY21 enacted level).

The President’s FY23 request includes a total of $62.5 billion in discretionary and mandatory funding for the NIH. This includes discretionary spending of $50.5 billion, $45.3 billion of which is allocated for NIH base funding ($279 million increase over FY22 enacted or .8%), and $5 billion of which is allocated for the newly created Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), ($4 billion increase over FY22 enacted). Additional mandatory spending of $12 billion is included for pandemic preparedness and response.

With respect to the NEI, the President’s budget proposes a funding level of $853,355,000. This represents an increase of $17.6 million over the baseline FY22 CR level, or $20.3 million over the FY21 enacted level (2.4% increase). However, with Congress enacting $864 million in FY22, the President’s budget reflects a decrease of $10,563,000 (- 1.2%) from the final FY22 enacted level.

The President’s budget request is largely a political statement document outlining Administration priorities, with Congress ultimately deciding funding levels. NAEVR appreciates the intent of the Administration to include an increase for NIH and NEI, however, NAEVR believes that the proposed increase of 2.4% over the FY21 enacted level does not keep up with inflation or provide growth for research in FY23.

NAEVR supports ensuring new agencies like ARPA-H are supplemental to the base funding for NIH and do not supplant support for existing Institutes and Centers. NAEVR is also supportive of ARPA-H and the proposal for pandemic preparedness and response.

NAEVR looks forward to working with our partners and Congress to request FY23 funding of over $49 billion in base funding for NIH (not including ARPA-H or mandatory spending) (a 7% increase over FY22 enacted), and $950 million in funding for NEI (a 9.9% increase over FY22 enacted).

Additional information about the President’s FY23 budget request for NIH and NEI from the Administration and Institute can be found here:

• NEI’s FY23 Congressional Justification 
• HHS Budget in Brief – NIH details are included on pages 53-60