Senate Action Will Cost University $1.76 Million In Federal Funding

The University of Idaho will lose $1.76 million in federal funding for the school’s proposed biotechnology project under legislation given final congressional approval.

Idaho Republican Sens. Larry Craig and Dirk Kempthorne voted for the compromise Friday. Both trumpeted a timber salvage provision and $9 billion in deficit reduction measures in the bill.

Kempthorne spokesman Mark Snider said the House demanded elimination of the $1.76 million appropriation for the university’s biotechnology project in the current budget year because the state has not provided matching funds.

“In this time of budget-cutting and watching what we spend, everybody has to be sacrificing,” Snider said.

Craig spokesman Bryan Wilkes said Craig helped make sure the university lost the biotechnology project appropriation for only one year instead of three years.