House Democrat accuses Pentagon of secretly siphoning NIH research funds

Rep. Rosa DeLauro said the Pentagon signed an interagency agreement that could give it access to billions of dollars from the National Institutes of Health's infectious disease institute without prior congressional disclosure. She called the move an outrageous attempt to circumvent Congress and demanded the agreement be terminated immediately. The Department of Health and Human Services defended the arrangement as a potential collaboration for medical technologies and emergency response, while the Pentagon did not comment.

The interagency agreement targets NIAID, the NIH's primary institute for infectious disease research, which oversees work on HIV, influenza, and tuberculosis. Neither the exact dollar amount nor the intended use of the funds has been publicly specified, though Sen. Patty Murray indicated the framework could allow the Pentagon to draw on billions in appropriated research dollars.

DeLauro tied the move to financial strain on the Defense Department stemming from the Iran conflict, noting the Pentagon awaits a $95 billion supplemental appropriation. HHS characterized the arrangement as a collaborative framework for developing therapeutics, diagnostics, and protective equipment, and for coordinating responses to public health emergencies such as the Ebola outbreak.