Archive for Friday, June 26, 2009
NBAF funding cut from bill
June 26, 2009
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Even though funding was stripped from an appropriations bill, members of the Kansas congressional delegation on Thursday remained confident that a proposed National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility would still be built in Manhattan.
Wednesday night, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed a 7 percent increase to the Department of Homeland Security’s budget. The bill strengthens efforts to thwart bringing Guantanamo detainees into the United States. It also funds more border patrol agents.
“The House Appropriations Committee had a responsibility to fund the NBAF, and I am extremely disappointed they shirked that responsibility,” said Rep. Lynn Jenkins, R-Kan.
Jenkins was the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote against the entire spending bill because it did not include $36 million in construction funding for the $450 million National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility at Kansas State University.
Among fierce competition from other states, federal officials chose Kansas earlier this year as the site for the new lab. The department still must secure funding for the facility.
Reps. Todd Tiahrt, Jerry Moran and Dennis Moore all supported the broad Homeland Security budget bill — without NBAF funding. But the money still is in a Senate version of the bill.
Tiahrt said House committee members withheld the funding because of worries that the lab could release foot and mouth disease into the state’s livestock population.
“These and any other concerns will soon be fully addressed following the release of another threat assessment currently under way,” Tiahrt said in a statement. “I look forward to working with our Kansas senators and House colleagues to resolve this funding issue in coming months.”
More like this
- Kansas congressional delegation confident that NBAF will be built October 8, 2009
- Leaders back Manhattan as home for defense lab 5 comments / September 29, 2007
- Sebelius, legislative leaders to lobby in Washington for NBAF, cancer center 4 comments / March 6, 2009
- House passes bill with NBAF funding October 16, 2009
- Homeland security to take NBAF bids 1 comment / March 18, 2009
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26 June 2009
at 11:36 a.m.
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kusp8 (Anonymous) says…
“Tiahrt said House committee members withheld the funding because of worries that the lab could release foot and mouth disease into the state’s livestock population.”
Yeah, I'm sure this was never thought of during the selection process. Seriously! How dense are the members of the House of Representatives!? I think they should quit worrying about the release of foot and mouth, and worry about the release of crazies like Ron Paul and Nancy Pelosi into the population of the House of Representatives!
26 June 2009
at 12:33 p.m.
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kerplunkr (Anonymous) says…
What a lame excuse from Tiahrt. I guess he doesn't realize that the new facility could actually be used to come up with more effective vaccinations against the disease!
26 June 2009
at 1:57 p.m.
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kusp8 (Anonymous) says…
I don't think Tiahrt was using that as an excuse. Rather, I think he was explaining why others on the committee chose to strip the funding.
26 June 2009
at 3:10 p.m.
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Boston_Corbett (Anonymous) says…
Loggie did it. To protect us from the invisible black helicopters.
26 June 2009
at 5:40 p.m.
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remember_username (Anonymous) says…
Actually, the US House showed some wits with this action. The way the Kansas Legislature is cutting funding to higher education an exodus of the best scientists and researchers out-of-the-state becomes a real possibility. Why fund something that's going to be dead in the water from the start.
1 July 2009
at 1:50 p.m.
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butseriouslyfolks (Anonymous) says…
Why are only 6 comments appearing when the count says 9, LJWorld? A little censorship perhaps?