(ABC 6 News) — Senator Amy Klobuchar paid a visit to Rochester on Monday, using it as a backdrop to stress the importance of supporting research and innovation in healthcare.

Klobuchar claims it is that support that has established Minnesota as a global healthcare leader.

The visit comes just days after the Trump administration slashed funding for potentially live-saving medical research at organizations throughout Minnesota and across the country.

In Minnesota, that money from the National Institute of Health supports about 8000 jobs and more than $1.7 billion of annual economic activity.

“I’m going to keep pushing in favor of science in favor of research. In favor of Rochester’s future, rural Minnesota’s future, and our state’s future. Every dollar we put into research today paves the way for cutting edge treatment and American leadership,” said Klobuchar.

There are 1500 active NIH projects in Minnesota, all getting $900 million in federal dollars. The University of Minnesota receives roughly one-third of that.

“Less of our funding comes from that, but 80% of our students have some substantive interaction with mayo clinic either with an internship a shadowing an observation a Med-Train or actual research, and of course, Mayo Clinic has a great deal of interaction with NIH,” said Vice Chancellor of the University of Minnesota-Rochester Paul Hanstedt.

Mayo Clinic receives the second-highest amount of federal dollars in the state, specifically $278 million for 439 projects.