One of the reasons the United States is the greatest country in the world is because we foster and reward innovation. Investing in programs at the National Institutes of Health makes it a leading driver of life-saving scientific breakthroughs. However, the NIH is slated to lose $6 billion under President Trump’s proposed budget. That’s almost 20 percent of its budget.

If we walk away from our commitment to the NIH and its work, we are abdicating our place as the best on the globe at finding cures. Ask yourself, do you want to rely on China or Canada to develop the next drug to cure cancer or Alzheimer’s? I certainly don’t. People of all ages, colors and creeds are impacted by everything from arthritis to HIV. They need the NIH to find new ways to keep them healthy.