FAUCI DIARY ARCHIVE — Tuesday, December 4, 2001
https://faucisdiary.com/diary/2001-12-04

Text below is verbatim from the released PDFs, with the original line breaks.
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DIARY ENTRY — Tuesday, December 4, 2001
Source: Diary Prequel, p. 39 of 2026.07.27_Diary-Prequel-.pdf
Words: 347
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Probably one of the most significant days for NIH and me regarding the
budget of the institution. Word was that the “pass back” for NIH would be $0.5 billion,
which would be devastating for NIH (no new initiatives and $275 shortfall on Type 5s). I
entered into intensive negiations with Tommy Thompson over a 2-3 hour period in his
office during which time he frequently called the White House discussing our
negotiations. The bottom line is that Tommy and the President wanted to give the NIH a
pass back that I would be able to publicly defend to the constituents, the Press, and the
Congress. I laid down some strict conditions of this support. It was $2.0 billion for NIH
excluding bioterrorism. I calculated that it would take $1.3 billion to reach current
services, $200 million for maintenance of campus (including security). This would leave
about $500 for new initiatives. On top of that I needed 1.0 billion for bioterrorism. They
wanted to know my opinion of whether the constituents would accept this “almost”
meeting the doubling trajectory. I told Tommy to tell the President that I would
definitely defend this pass back since it actually was a great deal given the constraints on
budget due to the demands of the war and the bioterrorism (BT) defense. I gave him my
word that I would support him and the President.
        Tommy also informed me that a few people in OMB were very pissed off at me
because I testified at the 2 Senate Hearings (especially the Specter Appropriations
Hearing) that we needed $200 million more in FY2002 for BT. He also re-affirmed that
Sen. Brownback was not in favor of my nomination for NIH Director because he felt that
I was too liberal and he wanted his candidate who is Bob Redfield, a born-again
Christian. Tommy said that the President wanted me , but was getting pressure from the
far right. I am perfectly comfortable with this situation. I am what I am. Take me or
leave me. I am happy with what I am doing now.