i, too have met with frances collins. he's genius. we're so fortunate he's there. but he told me something i can't get out of my mind. sequestration -- it took $1.5 billion away from the things that the senator from illinois has been talking b the second year of sequestration would have been $2 billion. i don't -- is the senator aware that today i read in the press that republicans in the house in their budget and the budget over here in the senate, they're going to continue with sequestration? think what that will do. i ask my friend, what will that do to frances collins and the people he has working that the institution? mr. durbin: i would just respond to the democratic leader and say that i've heard the same thing. there are some republicans in the house who believe that sequestration, this across-the-board cut is what we should do. and i couldn't disagree more. i chair the defense appropriations subcommittee. this would be devastating to america's national defense if we go forward with sequestration. if we get into this field of cutting back in biomedical rese

frances collins say this. it's been especially acute in the last few years, despite the democrats giving n.i.h. a great shot in the arm under the recovery act. now in january this journal of american -- journal of the american medical association published a report and recommendations. they said the u.s. government research funding declined from 57% in 2004 to 50% in 2012 of the global coe towal as did that of u.s. companies from 50% to 41%. meanwhile, asia, particularly china, tripled investments. the u.s. share of life science patents dekinded from 57% in 1981 to 51% in 2011, especially the most valuable patent. what they said to us in policymakers is that a new investment is required in order to realize scientific discoveries and improve care. they said given international trends, the united states will relinquish its historical international lead in the next decade unless nudge measures are undertaken system of colleagues, let's work together to get n.i.h. funding back on track. beyond the lip service of s