WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), chairman of the Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-HHS) Appropriations Subcommittee, issued the following statement after voting to confirm Jay Bhattacharya as the next director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
“As Chairman of the Senate’s Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, I have worked closely with past NIH Directors and look forward to working with Director Bhattacharya on our shared goal of making America healthy again through medical research,” Senator Capito said. “As a medical researcher himself, Director Bhattacharya understands the unique needs of those in this field. I was pleased to vote to confirm him and look forward to the progress he will make modernizing NIH to best meet the health care challenges facing our nation, enabling the next lifesaving medical breakthroughs.”
Senator Capito previously met with Bhattacharya in February to discuss his nomination and learn more about his vision to lead NIH.
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