Senate Clears Defense Appropriations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The United States Senate approved funding for the Department of Defense today on a 98-0 vote. Idaho Senator Larry Craig voted for the bill.

Craig said, "Providing this funding not only ensures our soldiers' safety in the combat theater, but also ensures that our military will continue to keep us safe here at home. I am especially pleased that funding was included to purchase new equipment for our National Guard and Reserve units, whose training efforts have been slowed due to the lack of equipment here at home.

"The legislation recognizes that our armed services have needs now, but also need to prepare for the future through research and development - much of which will be done in Idaho."

Included in the bill are several projects important to Idaho:

Medical Modeling through Synthetic Digital Genes ($2 million)
Systematic Approach to Radiation Hardened Electronics (SHARE) ($5 million)
Advanced Microwave Ferrite Research Phase IV at UI ($1 million)
3-D Technology for Advanced Sensor Systems at BSU ($4 million)
Quiet High Speed Propulsion ($8 million)
Advanced Materials Deposition for Semiconductor Nanostructures Using Supercritical Fluids at UI ($1.7 million)
Credibility Assessment Research Initiative at BSU ($2 million)
Manufacturing Improvements for Cryogenic Radiation Hardened Read Out Integrated Circuits ($4 million)
MicroVac Vacuum Sampling Pathogen Collection and Concentration ($4 million)
Integrated Passive Microelectronic Components at UI ($1.5 million)
Small Accelerators and Detection Systems for Defense Applications at ISU ($2 million)
Research on Molecular Approach to Hazardous Materials Decontamination ($1 million)
Advanced Receive-While-Transmit Sonar for Unmanned Undersea Vehicles ($2 million)
Electronic Warfare Modeling and Simulation Center ($4 million)
Evaluating ELF Signals in Maritime Environments at UI ($1 million)
Enabling Ubiquitous Computing Through Ultra Low Power Electronics at UI
($1 million)
United States Air Force Joint Threat Emitter ($10 million)

The bill now goes to a House-Senate conference to reconcile differences with the House-passed bill. For more information on a specific project, please contact Senator Craig's office.

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