Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell announced Wednesday that he was successful in defending Kentucky priorities in the FY ’08 Omnibus Appropriations Bill. The bill was approved by Congress and is now on its way to the president for his signature.

This year, as a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell worked hard to secure critical funding for several major programs and key sectors of the Kentucky economy, including funding for our universities, defense and military interests, agricultural and environmental initiatives, and economic development.

The bill contains funding – secured by McConnell – for medical, agricultural and environmental research at Kentucky’s universities; environmental cleanup at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant; chemical weapons disposal at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond; marijuana eradication in the Daniel Boone National Forest; infrastructure improvements at our state’s locks and dams and recreational facilities; and various statewide crime prevention and transportations priorities.

“This was a tough year in the appropriations process, but after a long fight, Kentucky came out a winner,” McConnell said. “Whether it’s for education, defense or agriculture, I will continue to use my seniority in the United States Senate to help bring home funding on behalf of the hard working people of Kentucky.”

For years, Senator McConnell -- on behalf of the people of Kentucky – has fought to secure important resources to ensure our commonwealth remains in the forefront in health care, crime prevention, economic development and most importantly, our universities. For example:



• Health Care - over $12 million for health care initiatives at Kentucky’s flagship universities that focus on innovative research to fight deadly diseases and health care programs that reach underserved populations.



• Crime Prevention and Justice - $7 million for projects in the commonwealth to equip small-town law enforcement officers to better serve our communities, to eradicate marijuana and to promote internet security.



• Environment/Conservation - over $191 million to continue to rid our communities of hazardous materials and to protect our vital land and water resources.



• Economic Development - over $210 million for economic development projects that allow commerce to flow into Kentucky – whether it is along our rivers via locks and dams projects, or improving community infrastructure to attract businesses and industries.



• University/Education – over $36 million for research and development projects and facilities at UofL, UK, WKU and NKU, and includes additional construction funds for Kentucky’s two ARS federal research labs.