[WASHINGTON, DC] –U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Representatives Bill Foster (D-IL), Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Judy Biggert (R-IL) today announced that by a vote of 92-6 the U.S. Senate passed the emergency supplemental spending bill that includes $400 million in funding for critical science programs.  The legislation provides $62.5 million for the Office of Science to ensure that Fermilab, Argonne and other scientific facilities are able to continue their research and retain staff.  Another $62.5 million is appropriated for the National Science Foundation to continue critical research, a portion of which will benefit both Illinois laboratories.

“Today Congress has shown its support for the critical research at Fermi, Argonne and science labs across the country,” said Durbin.  “And the Illinois Delegation once again proved that working together on a bipartisan basis we can do good things for Illinois.  I want to thank my colleagues – Representatives Emanuel, Foster and Biggert – for their efforts in the House and encourage the President to quickly sign this legislation into law.”

“It has been a privilege to work with Senator Durbin and my colleagues in the House to send the President legislation that begins to restore science funding,” said Foster.   “It is my sincere hope that the President quickly signs this bill into law so that some of our nation’s best and brightest scientists can retain their jobs and continue their critical research.”

“In order to compete in the global market, America must diligently stay ahead of the curve on science and technology innovation,” said Emanuel. “Labs like Fermi and Argonne continue to break new ground, and Congress’s support for them reflects our determination to ensure that hard working Americans remain on the cutting edge of scientific research.”

“Given the ground-breaking research being done at places like Fermi and Argonne -- especially on advanced energy technologies -- it just wouldn’t make sense to shut down experiments and layoff top scientists,” said Biggert a senior member of the House Science and Technology Committee.  “Already, some of our best research talent is leaving to work for our competitors in Europe and Asia.  Today’s action will halt that trend -- at least for the time being.”

Fermilab is the nation’s premier high-energy physics laboratory.  The laboratory leads U.S. research into the fundamental nature of matter and energy, and in 2007, Fermilab’s researchers and facilities achieved results judged by the American Institute of Physics as among the Ten Top Physics Stories from around the world.  Argonne National Laboratory is one of the U.S. Department of Energy's largest research centers. It is also the nation's first national laboratory which houses basic and applied scientific research across a wide spectrum of disciplines, ranging from high-energy physics to climatology and biotechnology.

The spending bill also allocates an additional $275 million for programs at the National Institutes of Health ($150 million), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ($62.5 million) and the Department of Energy’s Environmental Cleanup ($62.5 million).  The bill will now be sent to the President for his signature.