LansingCurrent.com

Legislation to fund a $12 million site selection study for a new federal penitentiary in Leavenworth was approved Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee.

U.S. Sen. Sam Brownback applauded the Appropriations Committee passage of the Commerce/Justice/Science and Homeland Security appropriations bills.

"I was pleased to join my colleagues on the Appropriations Committee to pass these important bills and move them forward to the Senate floor," Brownback said. "I call on Senate majority leadership to schedule time for consideration of these bills on the floor in a timely fashion."

The appropriations bills provide necessary funding for various federal agencies and departments, including Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and NASA. Additionally, the Commerce/Justice/Science Appropriations bill provides funding for S. 1060, the Second Chance Act, which was sponsored by Brownback and signed into law in April of this year.

The bills also include many Kansas projects, including $12 million to begin site selection for a new federal penitentiary in Leavenworth and $35.6 million to fully fund construction of the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility, for which Manhattan is a finalist.

"Leavenworth is the right place for the Bureau of Prisons new correctional facility servicing the Midwest, and will bring many new jobs to northeast Kansas," Brownback said. "Also, I am pleased to note the full funding for NBAF, and I believe that Manhattan is clearly the best location for it. I will continue to work with my colleagues from Kansas to make sure NBAF finds its new home in our state."

The bills also include the following Kansas projects:

¢ $250,000 for the National Center for Advanced Materials Performance at Wichita State University's National Center for Aviation Research.

¢ $150,000 for visual intelligence tools for combating methamphetamine production in Cowley, Greenwood, Montgomery and Sumner Counties.