WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jeff Bingaman and Tom Udall today applauded the passage of a bill that supports several of New Mexico's national security initiatives.
The Senate approved the fiscal year 2010 Homeland Security Appropriations Bill; this measure can now be sent to the White House for signature.
The bill includes $20 million Bingaman and Udall requested for the National Infrastructure Simulation and Analysis Center (NISAC) at Los Alamos and Sandia National Laboratories. The program models every conceivable disaster and other simulations for disaster preparedness purposes.
The bill also contains $23 million the Senators secured for New Mexico Tech's National Energetic Materials Research and Testing Center. New Mexico Tech is a member of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, which provides natural disaster preparedness training.
"Our state is engaged in important disaster preparedness work, which is funded by this spending bill," Bingaman said. "The entire country is benefiting from the research and training done at our national labs, New Mexico Tech and FLETC."
"With ever increasing violence across our border, New Mexico plays has an integral role in maintaining security for our country and safety for our citizens. The funding for border patrol initiatives and institutions like FLET-C and New Mexico Tech included in this bill will help ensure New Mexico's role in keeping our nation safe and secure," Udall said.
The spending bill also contains $282.8 million for personnel and construction for the nation's Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers. Artesia is home to one of the centers. It also contains $600,000 for an emergency ops initiative in Lea County and $400,000 for San Miguel County's predisaster mitigation project.
Finally, the measure contains funding for a variety of border security-related activities. New Mexico will receive funding from the following initiatives:
Jude McCartin
Maria Najera
703 Hart Building
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20510
(202) 224-5521