IDAHO DEFENSE PROJECTS CLEAR THE SENATE

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The full Senate voted last night to approve the FY 2008 Defense appropriations bill, which includes funding for a number of Idaho projects. Idaho Senators Larry Craig and Mike Crapo voted in support of the bill, and talked about Idaho's role in defending our nation.

"Idaho's growing high-tech industry and universities continue to play an important role in developing new concepts and products that will keep our troops on the cutting edge," Craig said. "The tools being developed will make our Armed Forces more effective and thus better protected. These men and women stand in harm's way to protect our nation and our freedoms, and I'm happy to do my part to help protect them in their missions."

"I applaud the swift passage of the Defense appropriations bill," Crapo said. "It reaffirms the commitment in Congress to invest in our nation's security and support our brave men and women in uniform. Cutting-edge companies and research universities in Idaho have long distinguished themselves in research and development innovations to improve our nation's defense. The new spending bill includes a number of Idaho projects and I am proud to have sponsored new funding for training and equipment for the Idaho National Guard, as well as other projects."

Idaho projects listed in the bill include:

$2 million for Medical Modeling Through Synthetic Digital Genes, Crowley-Davis Research
$3 million for a Systematic Approach to Radiation Hardened Electronics (SHARE), American Semiconductor
$3 million for 3-D Technology for Advanced Sensor Systems, BSU
$5 million for Advanced Motor-Propulsor Development and Testing, Bayview
$1 million for Semiconductor-based Nanotechnology Applications, BSU
$4.5 million for Electronic Warfare Modeling, Simulation, & Wireless Testing Center, INL
$4 million for Vacuum Sampling Pathogen Collection and Concentration, Microbial-Vac Systems, Inc.
$3 million for Manufacturing Improvements for Read Out Integrated Circuits, AMI Semiconductor
$2 million for the Integrated Patient Quality Program, Healthwise, Inc.
$2 million for the Credibility Assessment Research Initiative, BSU
$2 million for Reconfigurable Electronics and Non-Volatile Memory Research, BSU
$1.7 million for the DNA Safeguard Project, BSU
$1.3 million for Small Accelerators and Detection Systems, ISU
$1.5 million for Molecular Approach to Hazardous Materials Decontamination, Boise Technology
$1.5 million for the Survivability Program, INL
$1.7 million for Evaluating ELF Signals in Maritime Environments, U of I
$1.3 million for Ultra Low Power Electronics for Special Purpose Computers, U of I
$2.5 million for Electromagnetic Signature Assessment System, U of I
The bill now goes to a House-Senate conference, to work out the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.