WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, today announced that the U.S. Senate has approved $23 million for the National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center (NERRTC) at Texas A&M University. Senator Hutchison requested the anti-terrorism funding be included in the Fiscal Year 2010 Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The bill passed the Senate tonight by a vote of 84 to 6.

“Throughout my career, I have encouraged Texas universities to focus on the creation of ‘centers of excellence,’ making them more competitive in the fight for federal funding,” Senator Hutchison said. “NERRTC is clearly a national ‘center of excellence’ and I’ve enjoyed working with the NERRTC team for more than a decade to ensure America’s first responders get the training they so vitally need. Because of this funding, Texas A&M will remain on the forefront of disaster and terrorism preparedness. I’ll fight to ensure this funding remains in the Conference Report that the President will sign into law.”

As one out of seven members of the National Domestic Preparedness Consortium, NERRTC provides effective anti-terrorism training and education for emergency workers and senior officials. The center integrates Texas Engineering Extension Service training facilities and experienced instructors to give emergency responders unsurpassed training and technical assistance.

In addition to the funding that has just passed the U.S. Senate, Senator Hutchison has helped to secure more than $129 million for NERRTC since Fiscal Year 2004.