Statement from FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D. as prepared for oral testimony before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies, Committee on Appropriations

	Chairman Bishop, Ranking Member Fortenberry, and members of the subcommittee. I want to thank you today on behalf of the FDA for your continued support of our public health mission. We’re witness to a period of historic scientific advance. The opportunities we have, across our entire portfolio, to advance health and wellbeing, far exceed any comparable period of rapid technological change. Simply put, we’re in a period of unparalleled medical progress. Your support is helping us seize these opportunities to improve the lives of Americans. The FDA’s Fiscal Year 2019 budget includes one of the most substantial increases for the FDA in recent years. The initiatives that Congress supported will help uncover new treatment options for patients suffering from debilitating conditions, improve competition to ...