"Researching Iowa"

Over the years, I have traveled thousands of miles on Iowa’s highways and back roads. While crisscrossing the state, I am always struck by all Iowa has to offer. This past August was no different, as I was able to visit hundreds of Iowans and see firsthand all the great things they do. Iowa’s contributions extend far beyond its borders to other states, and even around the globe.

For example, I recently visited the University of Iowa’s Hospital and Health Sciences Campus and took a tour of the U of I Medical Center with Dean of the College of Medicine Robert Kelch. I toured the laboratory of Dr. Michael Welch, who studies cystic fibrosis, hypertension and gene therapy. Dr. Welsh, who has been named an American Academy of Arts and Science Fellow, is one of the world’s leading researchers on the genetic causes of cystic fibrosis, which is one of the most common fatal inherited disease.

The U of I, and similar research facilities across the country, receives funding from the National Institutes of Health for the work they undertake. This year, Congress provided the NIH with $20.3 billion. President Bush has requested Congress increase that amount next year by $2.7 billion, for a total of $23 billion. Of these funds, the U of I received nearly $125 million this year for their research. I support these programs and this funding because the work they conduct is so important to the general health of the public.

The University of Iowa is not alone in Iowa’s contributions to public health. Earlier this year, I toured the National Animal Disease Center in Ames, Iowa. The facility is at the cutting edge of food safety research and is constantly modernizing its operations to meet the challenges of animal health research, diagnosis and product evaluation. The Ames facility is also replacing existing USDA facilities that are antiquated and severely inefficient. When I toured this internationally recognized facility, I was witness to the good work being done by their researchers and scientists. This year’s agricultural spending bill includes $1.1 billion for research, an increase of $79.4 million over last year. A major portion of this funding, $40 million, will be targeted to the National Animal Health Facility to help afford the improvements they are making.

As Congress works on next year’s budget, I will continue to support these important programs and others like it, such as the National Institutes of Health, as they continue their work. I am proud to represent Iowans as we take a leading role in these efforts – in laboratories and hospitals across the state – and to help improve public health.