White House opposes House FDA FY14 budget bill

The Obama administration said it opposes passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of H.R. 2410, a FY14 appropriations bill that would give FDA $4.3 billion in total funding. Among its complaints, the administration said the bill would give FDA funding that is $342 million below the President's request for FY14. Obama requested $4.7 billion for FDA, including $2.6 billion in base appropriations, or taxpayer funding; H.R. 2410 would provide FDA $2.5 billion in base appropriations and about $1.8 billion in user fees. The administration also noted that H.R. 2410 does not include new proposed user fees for food safety initiatives. The bill does authorize FDA to spend new and increased user fees enacted with the FDA Safety and Innovation Act, including fees to review biosimilar applications.

Earlier this month, the House Appropriations Committee passed H.R. 2410 without an amendment that would have exempted future FDA user fees from sequestration. Lawmakers on the House Committee are working to incorporate such a measure. A vote by the full House on the bill has not yet been scheduled (see BioCentury Extra, June 14). ...