Roberts said, "Rarely do we have the opportunity to work together on a project so large, that we can honestly say it has the potential to impact the lives of all Kansans, our children and grandchildren, and economy of the state for years to come. I am here today to discuss such a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity...The building will be one of the most technologically advanced labs in the world. It would be a gem on the Kansas prairie."

The NBAF would replace the aging Plum Island facility, the federal government’s most secure location for animal disease research. Two sites in Kansas are under consideration: Leavenworth and Manhattan.

"This facility will be the premier biosecurity research laboratory in the nation and the world," Roberts said. He noted it will be a $451 million, 500,000 square foot building that will create as many as 500 high-paying, scientific federal jobs in the state of Kansas, plus will bring additional jobs in research partnerships in the state. Over a 20 year period, it is estimated that the facility would have a $3.5 billion impact on the Kansas economy. The four to five year construction time line for the facility is expected to create 1,500 construction jobs."

Roberts acknowledged that "the competition for this facility will be tough" with 12 states also in the running. But he emphasized, "the merits our on our side," listing the following reasons to locate an NBAF in Kansas:

• Kansas is heavily invested in the agriculture economy with a long standing history of supporting research to better this industry.
• The Kansas City area has an animal health and life sciences corridor that is second to none with over 125 companies, 37 with global headquarters located in the area. This number includes 4 of the 10 largest global animal health companies in the world. Together, all these companies represent 27 percent of total U.S. sales and 30 percent of global sales in a $14.2 billion animal health market.
• Kansas has already shown that it is committed to this level of research through the recent construction of the Biosecurity Research Institute (BRI) at Kansas State and the new Life Sciences Innovation Center at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
• Kansas is located in the center of agriculture country. "You ought to put the facility where you can work with the people most directly involved and experienced in the industry – not somewhere on the east or west coasts," he said.
• Kansas is one of the few areas under consideration, if not the only one, where a facility is already available (referring to the BRI) that the Department of Homeland Security could walk into and begin research in 2008, a full five to seven years ahead of the construction schedule that will otherwise take place.
  

"There is no doubt," Senator Roberts said. "Securing this facility would be one of, if not the greatest, economic development initiatives in state history...It is a key to the economic future of Kansas. If it happens, future generations of Kansans will have economic opportunities available to them that are currently unimaginable or available only outside the border of Kansas."

Roberts hailed the many positive partnerships that have been created to better compete for NBAF including Governor Sebelius’ declaration that it is her number one bioscience priority for the state and her formation of Blue Ribbon Task Force to work on the effort, and the Kansas Biosecience Authority, which will work with the communities to put together a proposal for the NBAF.

"We must seize the moment," Roberts said. "I ask you to join me, Governor Sebelius, Speaker Neufeld and President Morris, the task force, the Bioscience Authority, the Kansas Congressional Delegation, and all Kansans in working to bring this facility to Kansas. It will not be an easy task, but it can be done. The merits are on our side."

Earlier this month, Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius appointed Senator Roberts Honorary Chairman of the Kansas NBAF Task Force. Roberts is a senior member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry.

Senator Roberts’ efforts to bring the NBAF to Kansas began in 2005 when the Congress approved funding for site selection and preconstruction planning of a new NBAF to replace Plum Island. Senator Roberts began working with Kansas State University officials and encouraged the University and the state to make a proposal for locating this facility in Kansas. Since that time, Senator Roberts has worked on bringing the NBAF to Kansas, personally speaking with key Administration officials.

Also today in Manhattan, Roberts’ staff is helping to host a representative from the Department of Homeland Security who is getting briefed on the Kansas proposals. Last month, Roberts’ office hosted USDA officials on a tour of the Biosecurity Research Institute, housed in Pat Roberts Hall at Kansas State University, Manhattan, to observe the bio and agro-defense research expertise already present in Kansas.

The Department of Homeland Security will visit the sites currently under consideration this spring and will name the finalists for the facility this summer. The final site will be chosen in late summer or early fall 2008.