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Richard “Dick” Durbin - Senior Senator for Illinois, 1997-2020

Senator Durbin receives our highest grade of an A+ as a perhaps the senate’s biggest champion for increasing NIH funding. He has spearheaded the American Cures act which sets aside millions of dollars for neuroscience research, and as founder and co-chair of the NIH caucus. As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, he has a large influence in steering the federal budget.

“With the support of sustained federal funding, there is no limit to what science can do to prevent, treat and cure diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s. Let’s make that investment, and we’ll see our nation’s best and brightest researchers light up the scoreboard.”

Relevant sponsored legislation this session:

Tammy Duckworth - Junior Senator for Illinois, 2017-2022

Senator Duckworth deserves our A rating primarily for her efforts to include in the 2019 appropriations bill for $779 million to neuroprosthetic and traumatic brain injury research. Another major interest of hers in women’s health also has the ability to increase neuroscience funding. As a subcommittee member on the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which controls the NSF budget, she has a large influence on determining this source of neuroscience funding. However, her interest in neuroscience funding is relatively limited to those avenues which directly influence veterans affairs, and she is not a member of the NIH caucus, which prevents her from reaching an A+ rating.

“When you're a member of Congress, you can become an expert in a couple of subjects. For example, I've worked on federal procurement reform, the Armed Services Committee, manufacturing, and women's health care”

Relevant sponsored legislation this session:

Sponsored: H.R. 5932 - Veterans Preventive Health Coverage Fairness Act

Co-sponsored S.775 - Scientific Integrity Act

Co-sponsored: S.2578 - A bill to increase the participation of historically underrepresented demographic groups in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and industry.

Co-sponsored: S.2579 - A bill to direct the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy to carry out programs and activities to ensure that Federal science agencies and institutions of higher education receiving Federal research and development funding are fully engaging their entire talent pool, and for other purposes.