Gillibrand, Hanna Announce $32 Million Increase For Rome Lab

Press Release

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand and U.S. Representative Richard Hanna today announced that the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, N.Y. will get a budget increase of $32 million, which will help Rome Lab continue to lead the nation in cutting edge cybersecurity research.

The funding increase is millions more than President Barack Obama requested in his budget and is an increase of more than $32 million over last year's budget (Fiscal Year 2015) bringing the Lab's budget total to more than $215 million for the next fiscal year. The U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives are set to approve a $1.1 trillion spending package that funds the government through the fall of 2016 and includes billions in tax relief by renewing expiring tax breaks.

Rome lab is home to the Air Force Information Directorate that develops technology related to cyber intelligence and security. More than 1,000 people work at Rome Lab and Senator Gillibrand and Rep. Hanna have long pushed to increase funding so the Lab can continue to grow and increase its presence as a national leader in cyber technology. The budget increase comes on the heels of an announcement that the Army National Guard will use Rome Lab's Joint Reserve Intelligence Center to accommodate cyber protection team mission requirements.

"Rome Lab is at the forefront of U.S. national security research and a critical part of the community," Senator Gillibrand said. "This funding would help the lab conduct vital research to keep this country safe from cyber-attacks."

"Each year, one of my top priorities is to see Rome Lab's operational budget increase because of the critical work that's being accomplished there," Rep. Hanna said. "Since I came to Congress, Rome Lab has received significant increases. I will continue to advocate on Rome's behalf to ensure the Lab grows even stronger in the coming years."

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