COGR Supports Cures Legislation in Letter to Senate HELP Staff

The document is a formal letter from the Council on Governmental Relations (COGR), representing over 190 prominent research universities and related institutions, addressed to Senators Lamar Alexander and Patty Murray of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee. COGR expresses strong support for the advancement of the 21st Century Cures legislation, particularly commending provisions that fund NIH Innovation Projects and seek to reform academic research regulations to reduce administrative burdens on researchers. The letter emphasizes the importance of establishing a Research Policy Board, as recommended by the National Academies, to streamline federal regulations and reporting requirements associated with federally funded academic research, while maintaining oversight and accountability. The organization urges the Senate to pass the 21st Century Cures Act during the current legislative session to strengthen and optimize the nation’s investment in academic research.