About the CRBC

The Congressional Biomedical Research Caucus (CBRC) was established in 1989 to broaden the support and knowledge of basic and clinical biomedical research issues throughout the Congress in a bipartisan manner. The CBRC is a bipartisan, bicameral Caucus and takes no dues from its members. Seventy five Members of the House of Representatives and eight Members of the Senate comprise the Caucus Membership with Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Charlie Dent (R-PA), and Jackie Speier (D-CA) serving as co-chairs. For a list of the CRBC members from the 111th Congress, click here

The Caucus seeks to support the excellent efforts of the congressional committees and Members of Congress with jurisdiction over the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the National Science Foundation (NSF), science research, and health issues. The Caucus also serves to inform and educate Congress about potential and actual advances in health care made by our investment in biomedical research, while exploring future advances that could be achieved with increased support, thus maintaining our economic advantage in world markets in biomedical research and resulting biotechnology enterprises. Additionally, the CBRC provides an educational forum for discussion and exchange of ideas on issues involving biomedical research.

The CBRC has enjoyed remarkable successes through its broad membership, education and outreach efforts among Members of Congress and the preeminence of the scientists who serve as partners with CBRC leadership through the Coalition for the Life Sciences (CLS). The CLS serves as the Advisory Committee to the CBRC providing scientific advice and guidance. The current scientific advisors to the Caucus is led by James Haber of Brandies University in Waltham, MA. He succeeds Nobel Laureates J. Michael Bishop who served from 1992 until 2010 and Harold Varmus who served from 1989 until 1992.