Hoyer Statement on President Obama's BRAIN Initiative

Statement

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) released the following statement today after President Obama unveiled his BRAIN Initiative:

"The BRAIN Initiative President Obama unveiled today is a significant step forward not only for advancing the growth of innovation in our economy but also for the millions who live with Alzheimer's, epilepsy, and other neurological conditions. I have been proud to work throughout my years in Congress to fund research into the causes and treatment of conditions such as these, and I am glad that the President will commit approximately $100 million in his FY2014 budget proposal to help increase our understanding of how the human brain works and to develop therapies and cures that will benefit so many American families.

"Similar to the Human Genome Project, the BRAIN Initiative has the potential to seed whole new industries and economic growth that could pay for the initial investment many times over. Instead of reducing our investments in scientific research through irrational policies like sequestration, we should invest in the future through bold endeavors like the BRAIN Initiative to maintain our global leadership in science and technology. This is an area that has traditionally garnered strong, bipartisan support in Congress, and I hope Republicans will work with Democrats to see that this initiative is included in the funding bills we pass later this year - and to address the sequester that threatens to shrink our investments into neurological and other medical research."

Source