Alabama’s junior U.S. senator said she will work with President Donald Trump’s health secretary nominee Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to “ensure our nation remains at the forefront” of innovation, research and care after funding cuts announced Friday night by the National Institutes of Health.
“Every cent of hard-earned taxpayer money should be spent efficiently, judiciously, and accountably — without exception,” U.S. Sen. Katie Britt said on Saturday.
“While the administration works to achieve this goal at NIH, a smart, targeted approach is needed in order to not hinder life-saving, groundbreaking research at high-achieving institutions like those in Alabama,” Britt told AL.com.
On Friday night, the NIH announced it was cutting payments toward overhead costs for research institutions that receive its grants, a policy that could leave universities with major budget gaps, The Associated Press reported.
Read more: 5 things to know about impact of NIH funding cuts in Alabama.
Currently, some universities receive 50% or more of the amount of a grant to put toward support staff and other needs, but that would be capped at 15%, according to AP.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham and the University of Alabama in Huntsville are examples of the state institutions that could be affected by the cuts.
UAB alone has received more than a billion dollars in NIH funding in recent years, AL.com’s John Archibald reports. UAH also receives NIH funding, university spokesman Russell Nelson said Saturday but couldn’t say how much.
Steve Ammons, president of the Birmingham Business Alliance, said he was unsure of the specifics of the cuts, “but certainly any reduction in funding would be a hit to UAB since they were in the top 30 for 2024 for NIH funding. Certainly something we need to watch and make sure we advocate for the state’s largest employer.”
Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin also said he was trying to assess the impact. He said the cuts would first hurt UAB’s ability to save lives, now and in the future, and potentially stifle technological growth that not only makes us healthier, but sustains the economy.
“People need to be reminded that UAB is not just the largest employer in the city, it’s the largest employer in the state,” he said. “So as it relates to our state’s GDP, as it relates to our economic growth, as it relates to our future around genomics, personalized medicine, and where health care is going, NIH research dollars play a massive, significant role. And without a doubt, without knowing numbers yet, I can tell you this early, just receiving the information, those in the UAB family have a right to be concerned.”
See related story: NIH cuts threaten UAB, Birmingham and beyond - al.com
But Alabama’s senior U.S. senator, Tommy Tuberville, supports the cuts.
“When the American people voted for President Trump on Nov. 5th, they voted for his campaign promise to create the Department of Government Efficiency and cut waste in the federal government,“ Tuberville said. ”I am 100% supportive of DOGE and Elon Musk."
Tuberville said politicians have promised for decades to cut spending in government with zero results.
“Elon Musk is a genius with a proven track record of making businesses more cost efficient,” the senator said. We should be thanking him for being willing to serve our country in this way."
Tuberville said if government ends up being half as efficient and successful as “any one of Elon’s companies, that would be a huge win and a welcome change.”
Britt said the Trump administration wants “the United States to lead the world in innovation and achieve the impossible.
“State-of-the-art facilities, equipment, and technology — along with the best and brightest people — are needed to fulfill President Trump’s vision,” the senator said.
“We can eliminate administrative bloat and waste while not losing our competitive edge to adversaries like Communist China. I look forward to working with incoming HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., to accomplish this vital mission and ensure our nation remains at the forefront of medical innovation, research, and patient care.”
Efforts to reach other members of Alabama’s congressional delegation were unsuccessful.
Although Kennedy must be confirmed by a vote of the full Senate, Britt has shown she has been able to quickly get results with public requests to members of Trump’s Cabinet.
Just hours after Pete Hegseth was confirmed as the new Defense Secretary, Britt reached out to him on social media regarding an Air Force instructional video about the Tuskegee Airmen.
Britt expressed confidence that Hegseth would “correct and get to the bottom of the malicious compliance” seen in the wake of Trump’s DEI order.
Hegseth publicly responded within 20 minutes, assuring the senator the situation would be resolved.
AL.com journalist John Archibald contributed to this report.
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