Proposed Cuts would devastate biotech sector, medical breakthroughs, and patient care

BOSTON-Massachusetts Senate President Stan Rosenberg and Senator Sal DiDomenico, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs, sent a letter to the Massachusetts Congressional delegation expressing their concern over the proposed cuts to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

The Trump Administration has outlined a budget proposal with a 19% cut to NIH which, combined with other proposed budget cuts and the proposed changes to the Affordable Care Act, would result in a loss of billions of dollars in federal funding to Massachusetts by 2020.  These cuts would eviscerate the Massachusetts innovation economy and our healthcare system. 

“Massachusetts is a worldwide leader in medical and biotech research.  The proposed cuts to NIH will devastate not only our research institutions but also our biotech companies while putting the brakes on innovation and medical breakthroughs,” said Senate President Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “We encourage our delegation to hold the line on these cuts.  The Massachusetts Senate stands ready to work with them to prevent these dangerous short-sighted cuts from becoming law.” 

“These cuts to the National Institutes of Health would have a severe and disproportionate impact on the Massachusetts economy, threatening thousands of jobs and critical medical research,” said Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett). “Massachusetts is home to the world’s leading universities, hospitals, and research facilities, which rely on NIH funding to continue discovering cures and therapies for patients. These cuts would have devastating ramifications for patients throughout the nation and across the globe, which is why it is so important that we work with our Congressional Delegation to ensure that this reckless proposal does not move forward.”

“Any proposed cuts to NIH funding are not only bad for our local economy here in Massachusetts, but more importantly, would have devastating impacts for patients all across the world. Growth in research is what leads us to breakthrough therapies and much-needed cures for patients,” said Robert K. Coughlin, President and CEO of MassBio.

Massachusetts received over $2.5 billion in NIH grants last year and each dollar generates approximately $2.30 in economic activity.   According to MassBio, the total annual economic impact from NIH dollars is $6,005,780,036 and the NIH supports 29,552 jobs in Massachusetts.   

If the proposed NIH cuts are adopted Massachusetts could lose as much as $488,784,343.  The Senators finished the letter by offering assistance to the delegation as well as acknowledging the fight they have on their hands in supporting federal programs. 

###

Senator to Serve as Vice Chairman of Senate Ways & Means and Chairman of Intergovernmental Affairs Committee 

BOSTON – Senator Sal DiDomenico (D-Everett) was recently appointed by Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst) to once again serve as Vice Chairman of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means. The Senator has also been newly tapped to serve as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs.  In addition to his Chairmanship and Vice Chairmanship, the Senator will continue to hold a key position on the Senate President’s Leadership team.

Senator DiDomenico has also been appointed to the following committees for the 2017-2018 legislative session: 

Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Businesses

Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure

Joint Committee on Financial Services

Joint Committee on Labor and Workforce Development

Senate Committee on Ethics 

“I am honored to have once again been appointed to a key leadership role in the Senate, and I greatly appreciate the Senate President’s confidence in me.  It is has been a great privilege to serve as the Vice Chairman of Senate Ways & Means, and I am thrilled to now also serve as Chairman of Intergovernmental Affairs and on five important committees that will help set the policy agenda for our Senate session.  I look forward to continue working with Senate President Rosenberg, Senate Ways & Means Chairwoman Karen Spilka, and the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation on the issues that are not only important to my constituents, but to the residents of the Commonwealth as a whole.”

"Senator DiDomenico's knowledge of the budget and the importance of federal funds to our state provides an excellent resource to both the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and Committee on Intergovernmental Relations. He will serve the Senate proudly in both of these roles,” said Senate President Rosenberg.

The Senate Ways & Means Committee is responsible for creating the Senate Fiscal Budget each year and for vetting legislation on important policy issues before they are brought before the full Senate for their passage.  Senator DiDomenico will also have a seat on the Conference Committee that will negotiate the Legislature’s final budget.  This will be the Senator’s second session serving in this post as Vice Chairman.

The Senate Committee on Intergovernmental Affairs is charged with identifying federal funding opportunities for the Commonwealth and fostering a strong partnership between the Legislature and the federal government.  This important position will complement the Senator’s work on the Ways & Means Committee as he continues to work with his colleagues to identify key sources of revenue to improve lives in the Commonwealth.  He will also be working with the Massachusetts Congressional Delegation in Washington, D.C. and visiting our nation’s capital to build on past successes as we look to the future.

###

BOSTON – Senator Sal DiDomenico and his colleagues in the Massachusetts Senate unanimously passed a resolution Thursday to condemn the recent Executive Order issued by President Donald J. Trump which bars entry to the United States for certain nationals from seven Muslim-majority nations.

The bipartisan resolution recognizes the unique importance of immigration to the history of Massachusetts since its founding, through the present, and highlights the Senate’s concerns with President Trump’s January 27th  Executive Order on constitutional, moral, and policy grounds.

“Our nation has always stood as a beacon of hope and land of opportunity for immigrants and refugees from around the world, and we should be proud of our strong tradition of welcoming people to our country and our Commonwealth,” said Senator DiDomenico. “Immigrants and refugees helped to build our great nation, and they continue to provide invaluable contributions to our culture, economy, and the very fabric of our society. With this resolution, my colleagues and I in the Senate have sent an important message that we will stand up to hatred, and reaffirm our commitment to reject discrimination based on faith, race, nationality, ethnicity, or gender.”

President Trump’s Executive Order suspends entry for all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely suspends access to refugees fleeing the civil war in Syria. The order also bars citizens from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days. The immigration edict has already impacted individuals arriving in Massachusetts via Logan International Airport, including two University of Massachusetts Dartmouth professors. 

In his speech on the Senate floor, Senator DiDomenico expressed his proud support for the resolution and shared the story of how his own grandfather immigrated to the United States from Naples, Italy.  "This is the best country in the world, where you have an Italian immigrant, a young boy, come to this country all by himself and two generations later his grandson is sitting in this chamber," DiDomenico said. "That's what this country is all about, not what we're seeing in Washington D.C. today."

The full text of the resolution is below:  

RESOLUTIONS IN RESPONSE TO THE JANUARY 27, 2017 PRESIDENTIAL EXECUTIVE ORDER.

WHEREAS, IMMIGRANTS FOUNDED THIS COMMONWEALTH NEARLY 4 CENTURIES AGO; AND

WHEREAS, THIS NATION AND THIS COMMONWEALTH ARE PROUD OF OUR STRONG TRADITION OF WELCOMING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES TO OUR SHORES; AND

WHEREAS, OUR NATION AND THIS COMMONWEALTH HAVE STOOD AS A BEACON OF HOPE FOR REFUGEES FLEEING WAR, VIOLENCE AND PERSECUTION; AND

WHEREAS, IMMIGRANTS PLAY AN ESSENTIAL PART IN STRENGTHENING THE COMMUNITIES AND ENRICHING THE SOCIETY OF THIS NATION AND THIS COMMONWEALTH; AND

WHEREAS, IMPORTANT SECTORS OF THE COMMONWEALTH’S ECONOMY, INCLUDING HIGHER EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE AND INNOVATION, DEPEND HEAVILY ON IMMIGRANTS’ CONTRIBUTIONS; AND

WHEREAS, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PROHIBITS MANY FOREIGN STUDENTS, WORKERS AND OTHER VISA HOLDERS FROM 7 TARGETED MAJORITY-MUSLIM NATIONS, INCLUDING MANY WHO HAVE ALREADY BEEN VETTED AND DOCUMENTED, FROM ENTERING THE UNITED STATES FOR AT LEAST 90 DAYS, SUSPENDS THE U.S. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM FOR 120 DAYS AND RESUMES THE U.S. REFUGEE ADMISSIONS PROGRAM AFTER 120 DAYS ONLY FOR NATIONALS OF COUNTRIES AS DETERMINED JOINTLY BY THE SECRETARY OF STATE, THE SECRETARY OF HOMELAND SECURITY AND THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE; AND

WHEREAS, THE FIRST AMENDMENT OF THE CONSTITUTION PROTECTS THE FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND THIS EXECUTIVE ORDER PRIORITIZES THE ADMISSION OF REFUGEES BASED ON SPECIFIC RELIGIONS; AND

WHEREAS, MUCH OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE NATION’S AND THE COMMONWEALTH’S STRONG TRADITION OF WELCOMING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES TO OUR SHORES, WHILE NOT CONCLUSIVELY CONTRIBUTING TO THE IMPORTANT GOAL OF KEEPING OUR RESIDENTS SAFE AND SECURE FROM TERRORISM; AND

WHEREAS, THE EXECUTIVE ORDER PRESENTS SERIOUS CONSTITUTIONAL AND OTHER LEGAL ISSUES OF DUE PROCESS, EQUAL PROTECTION AND DISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF RELIGION AND NATIONAL ORIGIN; NOW THEREFORE BE IT

RESOLVED, THAT THE MASSACHUSETTS SENATE:

(1)   REAFFIRMS THE COMMONWEALTH’S STRONG TRADITION OF WELCOMING IMMIGRANTS AND REFUGEES AND REJECTING DISCRIMINATION BASED ON RACE, ETHNICITY, GENDER OR RELIGION;

(2)   CALLS ON PRESIDENT TRUMP TO RECONSIDER AND RESCIND THOSE PORTIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT INTERFERE WITH THE RIGHTS OF ALREADY DOCUMENTED STUDENTS, WORKERS, PERMANENT RESIDENTS AND OTHER VISITORS;

(3)   SUPPORTS THE LEGAL ACTIONS OF OUR ATTORNEY GENERAL AND OTHER PLAINTIFFS TO CONTEST THE LEGALITY OF THE EXECUTIVE ORDER IN COURT; AND BE IT FURTHER

RESOLVED, THAT COPIES OF THESE RESOLUTIONS SHALL BE TRANSMITTED FORTHWITH BY THE CLERK OF THE SENATE TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES AND THOSE MEMBERS OF CONGRESS FROM THE COMMONWEALTH.   

###