Eshoo Vows to Keep New Biomedical Agency Independent of NIH

The debate over where a new biomedical accelerator should sit within the federal government isn’t over, as a top health lawmaker said she’ll keep working to keep the new agency outside of the NIH.

“Congress authorizes. Congress appropriates,” Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-Calif.) said Wednesday while presiding over a House Energy and Commerce Committee health subcommittee hearing on the Department of Health and Human Services’ fiscal 2023 budget proposal.

Eshoo said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra “has his view. I don’t agree with it. And so I will present authorizing legislation.”

She was referring to Becerra’s announcement last month that he ...