War-related spinal cord injuries (SCI) tend to be more severe and complex. This is one of the primary reasons why the Department of Defense initiated its Spinal Cord Injury Research Program (SCIRP) in 2009. This important program provides support for research that has the potential to have a significant impact on improving the health and well-being of military servicemembers, veterans, and other individuals living with SCI. The SCIRP has accelerated innovation in rehabilitation and assistive technology, resulting in groundbreaking work in areas like brain-computer interface and functional electrical stimulation.

Despite the importance of this research, the program suffered a huge blow when funding was cut for fiscal year (FY) 2025 and the entire $40 million for SCIRP was wiped out. 

The House's FY 26 defense spending bill only allocated for the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs (CDMRP) less than half of the $1.5 billion the program received in FY 24. While it is unclear how the funding will be dispersed, it is almost guaranteed that SCIRP will receive less than the $40 million it needs to continue SCI-related research that is already underway. 

The SCIRP amounts to about .005 percent of the Department of Defense budget, but the ground-breaking research is responsible for the development of field-deployable technologies to treat military servicemembers on the battlefield after trauma. SCIRPs research also fast tracks efforts to help veterans breathe on their own, mitigate unbearable nerve pain, and regain independence post active duty. SCIRP is an invaluable resource for servicemembers and veterans.

PVA Position:

Congress must act to ensure funding for the SCIRP in FY 26 to restore this critical research program.