California eyes bond measure for billions in science research

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (CN) — Ryan Manriquez told a crowd gathered Monday outside the California State Capitol that he was alive because scientists refused to accept that he'd die in infancy.

Suffering from spinal muscular atrophy, Manriquez said the condition in 2000 — the year of his birth — was the main cause of infant death. Scientific research led to federal approval for the first-ever treatment for SMA in 2016. It helped him attend college and currently serve with AmeriCorps.

Now, as scientific funding faces federal cuts, Manriquez urged the crowd to support legislation that would restore that funding in the Golden State.

"The researchers who saved my life didn't know my name," he said, adding they fought to ensure everyone had a chance at life. "Science gave me a future."

Manriquez and others pushed for passage of Senate Bill 895, called the California Science and Health Research Bond Act. If passed, it would put the measure on the November ballot for Californians to decide whether to allow for the issuance of $23 billion in bonds to finance research across several fields.

The bill currently sits in the Senate Appropriations Committee, where it faces a must-pass moment next week, along with hundreds of other bills.

"We are not going to let them take a wrecking ball to science," said state Senator Scott Wiener, a San Francisco Democrat and bill author. "Not here, not anywhere."

Wiener referred to the administration of President Donald Trump, which has a congressional budget request that would slash billions of dollars in federal research spending. That would include 12% in cuts to the National Institutes of Health, a loss of some $6 billion.

The state senator called the Trump administration "deranged," arguing it wants to cut research for diseases like diabetes and cancer. California stands opposed, with about a third of its Legislature listed as co-author of the bill. While artists, technology and Hollywood are beacons for the state, Wiener said California must always support science.

"We must never overlook science," he added. "Science is part of California's DNA."

Dr. Monica Gandhi, professor of clinical medicine at UCSF, pointed to the importance of the National Institutes of Health. She noted that a vast majority of scientific breakthroughs occur because of funding it receives.

Studying HIV during an internship, Gandhi said she saw a once fatal disease become one that's no longer a death sentence. Research enabled that change.

"We all want to live longer," she said. "We all want to have healthier lives. This is the basic tenet."

Federal cuts already have affected research. Cheyenne Dean said she was laid off from her research associate job last year because of cuts. Now, she fears those who remain at her old job will face increased hours and less pay.

Dr. Stuart Bussey, president of the Union of American Physicians and Dentists, shares those fears. He said tens of thousands of jobs are at stake. Grant writers are unsure of the dollars they can pursue.

Bussey called Senate Bill 895 a long-term, financial commitment that will stop the Trump administration from using research funds as bait to stifle free speech.

In one high-profile case, the Trump administration pulled billions of dollars in grant funding from Harvard University last year after it rejected demands to make certain admission and hiring changes.

"We can't save science on our own," said Jessica Taft, co-president of the Council of UC Faculty Associations. "We need to make our voices heard."

Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers, accused the Trump administration of trampling labor rights. He said people want more money for scientific research, not wars and Wall Street.

"We need to put this question to the people of California and this question is simple: When will we say enough is enough?" Fain said.