House lawmakers spar over proposed FDA FY 2025 budget

Democrats and Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee are already sparring over a proposed FY 2025 budget that falls almost 10% short of President Joe Biden's request for certain agencies, including the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While Republicans argue the bill is fiscally responsible, Democrats say it jeopardizes food security and FDA's ability to do its work.

Republicans on the House Appropriations Committee proposed the FY 2025 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act on 10 June, which would allocate $25.88B for FDA, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), and other agencies. If approved as is, it would be $355M less than what was allocated in FY 2024 and $2.7B, or about 10% less than what the White House has requested. The bill would specifically provide FDA with 6.75 billion in total funding, short of the agency’s 7.2 billion budget request.

"On a national level, this legislation reins in wasteful Washington spending and targets funding towards core programs that help America’s farmers, ranchers, and rural communities," said Rep. Andy Harris, (R-MD), chair of the Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration Appropriations Subcommittee. "On a local level, the bill also reins in the regulatory overreach of the Biden Administration that only adds to the higher costs of doing business and living in rural communities."

Republicans noted that the proposed budget does not provide funds for new programs requested by the Biden administration and does not include funding for bureaucratic pay increases, which they say will save taxpayers $281 million.

During an April webinar with the Alliance for a Stronger FDA, Benjamin Moncarz, FDA’s chief financial officer, emphasized that the agency must be able to give staff pay increases based on inflation to maintain its competitiveness and ensure it can hire people in a timely manner. He noted that like many other agencies, FDA did not get additional funding for the inflationary pay increase in FY 2024, which led it to shift resources from its centers to pay for the increases. He also said that if it does not get additional funding for pay increases in the next budget, it will have a "devastating and challenging impact" on the agency and its offices. (RELATED: FDA officials say FY 2025 budget increase needed to offset inflationary pay increases, Regulatory Focus 16 April 2024)

Democratic lawmakers on the committee pushed back against the proposed budget and argued that it would prevent the US from continuing to have the highest quality medicine supply.

"The funding level for this bill is inadequate and irresponsible," said Rep. Sanford Bishop (D-GA), ranking member on the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee. "We must learn from the last fiscal year’s funding negotiations and acknowledge that the only path forward is a bipartisan one."

The Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is scheduled to meet to vote on the budget bill on the evening of 11 June before it is sent to the full committee. However, with the November elections coming around, Steven Grossman, executive director at the Alliance for a Stronger FDA said it is likely any such bill won't be finalized until after the election.

"Whether that means in a lame duck session or if it all moves into 2025 with the 119th Congress and perhaps a new president is yet to be determined," he said in a recent blog post. "Consequently, we expect another Continuing Resolution of uncertain duration, which, starting October 1, will limit the ability of FDA to undertake any new activities until funding is resolved."

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House lawmakers spar over proposed FDA FY 2025 budget

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