Jeff Bingaman United States Senator from New Mexico

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today attended the White House signing ceremony of legislation he helped write and shepherded through the Senate.  The bill contains a provision that will help the National Cave and Karst Research Institute in Carlsbad successfully compete for increased federal funding. 

In 1997, Bingaman introduced the bill -- which was later signed into law -- that created the National Cave and Karst Research Institute.  The bill required the Institute to seek outside funding to match the federal dollars invested in the research performed there. 

While the Institute has been successful in securing federal funds, the 50 percent matching requirement has prevented it from competing for additional federal grant opportunities.  The Senator’s legislation seeks to eliminate the matching requirement in order to help the Institute achieve its full potential. 

“Carlsbad’s National Cave and Karst Institute will now be able to pursue additional funding opportunities, which will help it remain competitive in its field,” said Bingaman.

The goals of the Cave and Karst Institute are to maintain a scientific knowledge of cave resources, participate in and facilitate research projects, and promote environmentally sound, sustainable resource management practices.