The following is a statement from Governor Mark Parkinson regarding the U.S. Senate’s passage of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2010, which includes initial funding for the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas:

“Today’s approval by the Senate solidifies what we have always known – that Kansas is best place for the new National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility. I appreciate the bipartisan effort in Congress and the hard work of the Department of Homeland Security for ensuring this essential funding will help NBAF break ground in 2010.

“As this legislation heads to the President’s desk, we look forward to continuing the development of this project that will create thousands of jobs for the local economy, further advance our state’s agriculture and bioscience industries and protect Americans from dangerous forms of terrorism.”