Watch live: NIH director faces Senate questions over budget
Key takeaways
- The budget hearing comes as questions swirl around the hantavirus after several people died aboard a cruise ship after contracting the virus.
- The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
Why this matters: political developments that affect policy direction and public trust.
The White House is seeking a $5 billion reduction in NIH funding next year, including cuts to grant and research programs the administration argues broke the trust of the American people with wasteful spending, misleading information, risky research, and the promotion of dangerous ideologies that undermine public health.
The budget hearing comes as questions swirl around the hantavirus after several people died aboard a cruise ship after contracting the virus. Bhattacharya, who is also serving as acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), has brushed off comparisons between the virus and COVID-19.
The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. EDT.