Jefferson Reporter

U.S. Senator Katie Britt Advances $73.4 Million for NIH IMPROVE Initiative

WASHINGTON, D.C., August 7, 2024 – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, has secured a $20 million increase for the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Implementing a Maternal Health and Pregnancy Outcomes Vision for Everyone (IMPROVE) Initiative in the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25) Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. With this support, the total appropriated in the Committee’s bill for the NIH IMPROVE Initiative would be $73.4 million for FY25.

The program aims to reduce preventable causes of maternal deaths and improve health care for women before, during, and after pregnancy.

“Alabama has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the nation. This disproportionately affects black women,” said Senator Britt. “In 2024, it should not be like this. I was proud to advance a $20M increase that I secured for the NIH IMPROVE Initiative for Fiscal Year 2025. These funds would help support critical research on reducing maternal mortality and improving maternal care. I’ll continue to make this a top priority. Senator Laphonza Butler and I have introduced the NIH IMPROVE Act, which would ensure consistent funding for this important program, and we are working to enact this commonsense, bipartisan legislation into law.”

The FY25 Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education and Related Agencies Appropriations Act now awaits consideration by the full Senate.

During the Senate Appropriations Committee’s markup of the bill last week, Senator Britt highlighted this important issue and thanked members on both sides of the aisle for their attention to it.

Background:

Senator Britt has prioritized health care issues including rural and maternal care during her first 19 months in office. She joined Senator Laphonza Butler (D-Calif.) in introducing the NIH IMPROVE Act to provide consistent support and resources for conducting research into America's maternal mortality crisis.

Additionally, Senator Britt collaborated with Senators Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Tina Smith (D-Minn.) on introducing the Rural Obstetrics Readiness Act to expand access to maternal care by supporting rural health facilities.

In September 2023, she reintroduced the Access to Breast Cancer Diagnosis (ABCD) Act with Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.). This legislation aims to eliminate copays for breast cancer diagnostic tests.

Last December saw her joining a bipartisan group in reintroducing the Creating Opportunities Now for Necessary and Effective Care Technologies (CONNECT) for Health Act of 2023 aimed at expanding telehealth services through Medicare.

She also cosponsored two pieces of legislation focused on insulin accessibility: The Affordable Insulin Now Act of 2023 capping insulin prices at $35 per month supply; And Improving Needed Safeguards for Users of Lifesaving Insulin Now (INSULIN) Act addressing insulin costs comprehensively.

Furthermore, she introduced with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) The Youth Mental Health Research Act establishing a national initiative targeting youth mental health interventions.