Robert “Bob” Menendez - Senior Senator for New Jersey, 2006-2024
Senator Menendez receives a B predominantly from his passage of a bill that allotted $296 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for Autism Spectrum Disorder research. He also has an interest in increasing Alzheimer’s research funding. While he has strongly supported federal research funding in the past, this term he has not signed on to many bills to this effect, and he is not a member of the NIH caucus, both of which would boost his grade.
“Federal funding for medical research from agencies like the National Institutes of Health is so vital. It’s what keeps scientists on the job, searching for answers long before ideas become profitable. It’s not enough to pray for cures – we must invest in them.”
Sponsored: S.427 - Autism CARES Act of 2019
Cory Booker - Junior Senator for New Jersey, 2013-2020
Senator Booker receives our grade of B- for dually supporting NIH/NSF funding while also harboring skepticism of animal research. He spearheaded minimization of animal research at the EPA, and his current primate bill would ban non-human primate funded NIH research, which would have a negative impact on neuroscience research. However, he additionally voted for the 21st Century Cures act, and has publically supported increased funding for the NIH and NSF. He particularly advocates for increased funding to Parkinson’s disease, and has signed onto a letter advocating for full funding of the BRAIN initiative in fiscal year 2020.
“The National Institutes of Health is the largest funder of biomedical research in the world, including the research of 135 Nobel Prize recipients. It has conducted and facilitated life-improving and life-saving research, fighting diseases ranging from diabetes to HIV to Alzheimer’s. Its incredible results speaks for itself.”
(negative) Sponsored: S.3773 - Primate Protection and Research Modernization Act of 2018
Co-sponsored: S. 1492 Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act of 2019
Co-sponsored: S.1338 - Beyond the Box for Higher Education Act of 2019
Co-sponsored: S.427 - Autism CARES Act of 2019