Manhattan’s NBAF Project Gets More Money June 24, 2014

The plan for a state-of-the-art biological defense lab at K-State good good news today.
The project got the full 300-million it was seeking from the Senate Appropriations Committee.
It’s also been approved by a House Committee.
So the project, the National Bio and Agro- Defense Facility, known as “N-BAF”, appears to be in good shape to be fully funded by Washington

Kansas Regents Call College Budget Cuts a “Nightmare” June 7, 2013

The Kansas Board of Regents blasted the just-passed budget for state colleges and universities Thursday, according to the Topeka Capital Journal,
The state’s governing board for higher education called the cuts “a public policy nightmare”, according to the report.
Kansas legislators cut almost $22 million dollars from the state’s higher education fund.
That includes a 4.2% to the Kansas University Medical Center in Kansas City, Kansas.
The $4.25 million reduction for the Medical Center is the biggest reduction in dollars.
By percentage, Emporia State’s budget took the biggest hit, 4.8%; or $1.48 million.
Kansas State University funding was cut by 3.5%.
Wichita State’s funding was reduced by 3.1%
The University of Kansas budget got a 2.4% haircut.
“It’s never good public policy to cut higher education,” vice chairman Fred Logan said according to the newspaper. “It’s not a pro-growth budget — that needs to be said.”

Kansas Senate moves on NBAF Money May 8, 2013

(AP) – A Kansas Senate committee has approved a bill authorizing an additional $202 million in bonds for a national biodefense lab after adding limits designed to address some conservative Republicans’ concerns.

The Ways and Means Committee’s voice vote Wednesday sends the measure to the full Senate for debate, possibly as early as Friday.

Kansas has authorized $105 million in bonds for the National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility at Kansas State University. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback has said the new bonds are necessary to fulfill the state’s promise to cover part of the construction costs.

The $1.2 billion facility will research dangerous animal diseases.

Some conservative GOP senators questioned authorizing new bonds. The bill says they can’t be issued until the federal government signs a contract with a construction contractor.

K-State’s NBAF Facility Survives Review, But Scale Back Likely July 13, 2012

(AP) – A government-backed research panel says the Department of Homeland Security should continue with its plans for a biosecurity lab in Kansas but consider ways to reduce costs.

A study released by National Research Council on Friday says the need for the $1.14 billion National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan hasn’t diminished since the project was first conceived.

But the council says Homeland Security has options: It could continue with the current plan, reduce the size and scope of the project and distribute its work among research centers around the country.

Homeland Security asked the council to review the risks of studying animal diseases at the lab, the capabilities needed to address those threats and analyze three options. One included keeping the current research at Plum Island, N.Y.