Posted on 04/30/2012 4:47:03 PM PDT by mdittmar
[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) announced that the Senate Appropriations Committee, of which he is a member, has approved a bill that preserves essential federal funding for scientific research and development programs that will support work at two Illinois labs Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab which together employ over 4,000 Illinoisans. These projects were included in President Obama's FY2013 Budget and supported by Durbin.
Science labs like Fermi and Argonne are the backbone of our nations scientific infrastructure and workforce. Todays legislation provides a fiscally responsible path that will allow them to continue existing projects, expand their research and protect Americas position as a leader in scientific and technological innovation, said Durbin.
We applaud Sen. Durbins effort to increase funding for physical sciences research, said Eric Isaacs, director of Argonne National Laboratory. This critical funding will support basic and applied research vital to the national interests and our economic well-being. These funding levels will permit Argonne, other Department of Energy national laboratories, and other research institutions to advance the development of clean energy technologies, which will help to spur the economic growth of the country.
The Fiscal Year 2013 Appropriations Bill for Energy and Water which now awaits action by the full Senate includes funding for the following energy research and development accounts that fund projects at Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab:
Argonne National Laboratory is one of the U.S. Department of Energy's largest research centers. It is also the nation's first national laboratory which houses basic and applied scientific research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, ranging from high-energy physics to climatology and biotechnology. Argonne employs roughly 3,400 people, including scientists and engineers.
Fermilab is the nations premier high-energy physics laboratory that employs over 1,000 people including physicists, engineers and computer professionals. The laboratory leads U.S. research into the fundamental nature of matter and energy. Fermilab is a world-leading laboratory in the study of neutrinos and very rare processes using existing and upgraded facilities.
So, let me get this straight. The jobs Durbin is saving are GOVERNMENT jobs? what a surprise!
Just a little payoff to Durbins constituents.
The grease that makes the wheels of Government go round.
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