Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, the director of the National Institutes of Health, faced scrutiny over his autonomy amidst significant funding cuts proposed by the Trump administration. In a Senate hearing, he distanced himself from decisions made regarding the freeze on research grants, indicating those were initiated before his appointment. He also refrained from discussing the implications of proposed budget cuts totaling $18 billion, which he described as a collaborative effort between the administration and Congress, leading to confusion among Senate committee members about the agency's leadership and decision-making processes.
Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, while testifying before the Senate, suggested he had limited influence over N.I.H. funding decisions amid significant budget cuts proposed by the Trump administration.
Under pressure from the Senate, Dr. Bhattacharya indicated that key budget decisions, including a proposed $18 billion cut, were not solely his domain, highlighting confusion over the agency's direction.
Collection
[
|
...
]