WASHINGTON   –  U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today announced that the FY 2010 Defense Appropriations bill which passed in the U.S. House of Representatives contains $15 million in funding for the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla.

“Missouri S&T does world-class research, and the product of their efforts is being utilized by our men and women in uniform around the world.  This funding will allow those university programs to continue their tradition of innovative service, saving lives in the process,” Emerson said.

The bill contains $3 million for power generation and storage systems, $3 million for robotic weapons systems, $3 million for heat-resistant materials used in hypersonic flight and $6 million to detect and track explosive materials such as Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).  All of the funding for the projects is designated for Missouri S&T.

“Each of the programs at Missouri S&T utilized by the Department of Defense is a point of pride for the University and for the Eighth Congressional District,” Emerson said.  “I’m particularly appreciative of the new program to help detect and eliminate IEDs, which are one of the leading causes of injury to servicemembers in Iraq.  The funding I requested in this bill is going to help solve very real problems faced by our troops in the field, and the problem-solvers at Missouri S&T are some of the best in the country.  I am very proud of them and confident in their future success.”

The FY 2010 Defense Appropriations bill will next be considered in the U.S. Senate, and a final version of the legislation should be voted on in Congress later this year.  Funding levels for the projects included at Emerson’s request will not be final until the bill is signed into law by the president, who has threatened to veto the proposal.