Senate Republicans urge White House to release appropriated NIH funds

The funding was approved in Congress' stopgap government funding package that was passed and signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year.

By Misty Severi

Published: July 25, 2025 9:21pm

Republican Alabama Sen. Katie Britt on Friday urged the White House to disburse federal National Institute of Health (NIH) funds that it is currently withholding, but which were already approved by Congress.

The letter, signed by 13 other Republican senators, is the latest example of GOP push back over the Trump administration delaying the release of funds in order to ensure that it aligns with the administration's agenda.

The senators asserted to White House Budget Chief Russ Vought that they support his “commitment to ensuring NIH funds are used responsibly and not diverted to ideological or unaccountable programs," but warned that withholding funds could hurt public trust in the federal government and even American citizens.

“Suspension of these appropriated funds — whether formally withheld or functionally delayed — could threaten Americans’ ability to access better treatments and limit our nation’s leadership in biomedical science,” the letter warned. “It also risks inadvertently severing ongoing NIH-funded research prior to actionable results.”

The funding was approved in Congress' stopgap government funding package that was passed and signed by President Donald Trump earlier this year. However, the letter did not specify a dollar amount.

The senators maintained that they trust Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya, but emphasized the impact of the NIH funds, which includes money for research into cancer, cardiovascular disease, and rare pediatric disorders.

“Our shared goal is to restore public trust in the NIH precisely because its work is focused on results, accountability, and real-world impact," the senators wrote. "Withholding or suspending these funds would jeopardize that trust and hinder progress on critical health challenges facing our nation. Ultimately, this is about finding cures and seeing them through to fruition.”

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.