American medical research unlocked the cure for Polio and created the mRNA technology that produced the Covid vaccines. Right here in Colorado, our scientists pioneered treatments for children diagnosed with AIDS1 and developed a new shingles vaccine2.
These aren’t just abstract accomplishments in some unknown lab. These are life-saving treatments spearheaded by the top medical institutions in the country. Their research is helping veterans battling PTSD and will one day discover a cure for cancer.
Science is at the center of each of these breakthroughs. And so is our federal government. Our government helps fund biomedical research for every health issue impacting the American people – not just the ones that big pharma relies on for big profits.
Now all of that progress is under threat.
Trump and his administration have launched a full-blown attack on U.S. science and our public health.
They’ve illegally attempted to cut billions of dollars in federal funding for biomedical research. At the same time, they have elevated officials with anti-science biases who will spread misinformation that will undermine Colorado.
It started when the Trump administration announced plans to slash more than $4 billion in federal funding for critical research. Their plans gut the National Institutes of Health (NIH) – the agency that directs the bulk of our federal funding for biomedical research.
Long story short: the proposed cuts would limit Americans’ access to life-saving treatments. It would stifle medical research to cure cancer, fight infectious diseases, and deliver newer, cheaper drugs.
They’ve tried to backpedal and claim that the cuts would only impact “overhead costs”.
But that’s not true. The cuts would halt groundbreaking research.
In 2023 alone, Colorado researchers received more than $575 million from the NIH for projects that would help solve bladder cancer3, learn to repair brain injuries4, reduce heart disease5, and more. All of this is jeopardized by these proposed cuts.
In Durango, Fort Lewis College researchers are working to create new colon and pancreatic cancer treatments. University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center is working on research to address type 1 diabetes, breast cancer, and heart disease. National Jewish Health is leading on research related to asthma treatment and pulmonary function. These are just a few examples.
That’s not all: These cuts would hurt Colorado’s economy. Colorado’s medical research supports thousands of Colorado workers and generates more than $1.56 billion for our state’s economy.
Bottom-line: Fewer life-saving treatments. Greater risk of future deadly pandemics.
We’re all for a more efficient government – one that does more with less. We did it when I was mayor of Denver and governor of Colorado. We balanced the budget, streamlined our government, and still expanded services.
But turning the tap off is not how you do it.
Last week, on the Senate floor, I highlighted the impact NIH funding would have on Colorado. Take a listen below:
Unfortunately, they’re not just trying to shutter the research.
Their proposed cuts are exaggerated by extreme nominees who are ill-equipped to manage large governmental organizations and who don’t seem to understand the priorities they are ignoring.
I’m a former geologist, but I still understand basic science. I’ll be the first to admit that science will sometimes surprise us. It’s always evolving. But leading with science gets us accurate information and creates innovation and progress.
The Trump administration’s appetite for anti-science claims and disinformation threatens Coloradans and puts our country at risk.
When leaders peddle anti-science claims – or cut funding for our medical research – they put the country at risk and leave Americans unsure of who to trust and where to get accurate information.
We can’t lose the forest for the trees.
Their efforts to weaken our public health and cut crucial funding for research institutions, rural hospitals, and veterans will impact our most vulnerable communities. We can’t lose sight of why they’re trying to do this.
They’re paving the way for their massive tax cuts for the largest corporations and wealthiest Americans.
Cut funding for the programs that help our veterans recover from PTSD?
Result: more money in big corporations’ pockets.
Turn the lights off on our research to find cures for cancer?
Result: another big tax cut for wealthiest Americans.
Shutter cutting-edge research to prevent future pandemics?
Result: CEOs of the largest companies save millions on their taxes.
In fact, as you’re reading this, Congressional Republicans are attempting to jam through an extreme national budget. Their proposal would cut Coloradans health care and increase our deficit by trillions to give the ultra wealthy tax cuts.
It’s wrong. It’s bad for America. It hurts working class Americans.
So what are we doing to stop it?
In Congress, we’re using every tool we can to disrupt and slow what they’re doing. We’ve supported lawsuits, opposed executive actions, and voted against nominees that pose a genuine threat to Coloradans.
On the floor last week, I spoke about the rise of disinformation and anti-science claims, including vaccine skepticism. Take a watch HERE and HERE.
With my Colorado Democratic colleagues, we wrote to the top government funding negotiators in Congress to urge them to protect bipartisan research funding. Today, we’re introducing amendments in the Senate to push back on their extreme budget and protect Colorado.
Remember, Trump cannot legally do any of this without congressional approval, and we’ll fight it in the courts and every step of the way to protect Colorado.
https://www.childrenscolorado.org/research-innovation/discoveries-and-milestones/
https://www.denver7.com/news/local-news/newly-approved-shingles-vaccine-was-developed-at-university-of-colorado
https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/medical-research-colorado-attempts-cut-federal-funding/
https://www.cpr.org/2025/02/10/trumps-nih-funding-cuts-colorado-health-research-jobs/
https://www.cpr.org/2025/02/10/trumps-nih-funding-cuts-colorado-health-research-jobs/