WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Pat Roberts, Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is pleased to announce important Kansas projects totaling over $3 billion in this year’s Defense Authorization bill were approved by the Senate late last night.

“I am proud of the contributions that Kansas makes to our national defense,” Senator Roberts said. “These projects reflect my focus on modernizing and transforming our forces, and giving our men and women in uniform the necessary training and equipment to confront future threats, be they conventional or unconventional. This bill continues our efforts to improve the quality of life for our men and women in uniform and their families.”

The Senate also defeated amendments Roberts opposed to prematurely withdraw troops from Iraq.

Senator Roberts said, “The requirement of a timetable for withdrawal is reckless, and will setback the progress we have realized in Iraq over the last few years. Such a departure from basic common sense will have long lasting consequences. While we may wish otherwise, the blunt truth of it is there is no exit from either Iraq or the Global War on Terrorism but through success.”

The bill was passed by the full Senate 96-0 and now goes to a conference committee to iron out differences with the House of Representatives bill. Among the projects that benefit Kansas, Senator Roberts helped secure the following funds:

Fort Riley

• $32 million for a Barracks Complex at Fort Riley.
• $5.2 million for a Child Development Center at Fort Riley.
• $10.2 million for a Vehicle Inspection/Cargo Processing Facility at Fort Riley.

Fort Leavenworth

• $15 million for a Battle Seminar Facility at Fort Leavenworth.
• $2 million for the Adaptive Command and Control Team Training Program at Fort Leavenworth to provide Army Divisions and Corps units with command and control scenarios and team coordination skills to prepare for the full spectrum of combat operations.

McConnell AFB

• $7.5 million for additional equipment for the 161st Intelligence Squadron at McConnell AFB. The procurement of this equipment will expand the ability of the 161st Intelligence Squadron in the Kansas Air National Guard to staff, train, and equip for critical Predator and Global Hawk operations.

Kansas State University

• $6.7 million for the Armed Forces Medical and Food Research Program at Kansas State University. These funds will be used to conduct threat and vulnerability assessments of medical and food processing and handling systems in a biocontainment laboratory environment using biological and chemical threat agents.
• $1.5 million for the Biosecurity Research for Soldier Food Safety Program at Kansas State University. Kansas State University’s Biosecurity Research Institute provides vital infrastructure for the study of securing our soldiers’ food supply at home and abroad.
• $2 million for the Marine Corps Urban Operations Laboratory Weaponization Program at Kansas State University to provide expanded research, testing and evaluation for non-lethal and scalable capabilities suitable for use in urban environments.

University of Kansas

• $2 million for a new Rail Sensor Test Bed Program at the University of Kansas. This project will support the real-time detection, identification, and assessment of chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear threats to the United States. The University of Kansas is contributing to the development of a rail test bed in Kansas City.

Pittsburg State

• $1.5 million for Multifunctional Materials for Naval Structures Program at Pittsburg State University. These funds are used to study radar transparent, flame retardant, corrosion resistant, impact resistant and self-repairing advanced structural materials at Pittsburg State University.

Wichita State University

• $3 million for the Inspection and Analysis Methods for Aging Military Aircraft Program at Wichita State University. The Aging Aircraft Research Laboratory of the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University is involved in several US Air Force programs assisting with investigations for maintaining the structural integrity and airworthiness of aging aircraft fleets.
• $2 million for Next Generation Ice Protection Technologies for UAV’s Program. These funds will address current UAV in-flight, ice protection shortfalls. Research contributing to this project is conducted at Wichita State University.

Wichita

• $305.1 million for the Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) for the Air Force. Raytheon Aircraft, Wichita, manufactures the JPATS aircraft (T-6A), utilized in the initial phase of military pilot training.
• $146.1 million for JPATS for the Navy.
• $625.6 million for UH-60 ‘Black Hawk’ helicopters for the Army. Plastic Fabricating Company and Excel Manufacturing Company, Wichita, manufacture components for the UH-60 helicopter.
• $631.6 million for the Airborne Laser (ABL) Missile Defense System. Boeing conducts significant work on the ABL at their Wichita facility.
• $1,138 million for the Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA). Boeing is an important partner in the MMA program.
• $2.2 million for the procurement of additional Civil Air Patrol (CAP) aircraft. Cessna, in Wichita, manufactures the CAP airplanes.
• $4.1 million for a additional aircraft for the Golden Knights, the elite Army parachute team. Cessna produces the aircraft.

Miscellaneous

• $13.7 million for the procurement of de-icing equipment for the Air Force. The equipment is provided by Global Ground Support of Olathe.
• $1.5 million for the Parents as Teachers Program. The program provides assistance to military families by providing instructional assistance to parents of pre-school children. The program is currently in place at both Fort Riley and Fort Leavenworth.
• $8.5 million for the development of a sustainment training program and $5 million for equipment upgrades for DoD’s Civil Support Teams (CST). Forbes Field, in Topeka, currently houses a CST.
• $45 million in educational aid to local school districts affected by the assignment or location of military families, including $30 million for Impact Aid, $5 million for educational services to severely disabled children, and $10 million for districts experiencing rapid increases in the number of students due to the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process, like Fort Riley.
• 2.2% pay raise for all military personnel effective January 1, 2007, and targeted pay raises for mid-career and senior enlisted personnel and warrant officers effective April 1, 2007.
• Prohibition on increases in TRICARE Prime enrollment fees in Fiscal Year 2007.