Washington, D.C. – U.S. Representative Bud Cramer (Ala.-05) announced that the House Appropriations Committee approved funding for North Alabama in the Fiscal Year 2008 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Bill.

Representative Cramer, a member of the Financial Services Appropriations Subcommittee, announced that he secured $231,000 to aid in the construction of the Hudson-Alpha Institute of Biotechnology.  This funding is in addition to the $750,000 Cramer secured for the Institute in FY 2006.

“The Hudson-Alpha Institute for Biotechnology will open its new facility later this year and this additional funding will help its researchers begin their groundbreaking work,” said Cramer.

In addition, Representative Cramer and Representative Robert Aderholt (Ala.-04) together secured $150,000 for the establishment of a Robotics Center at Calhoun Community College.  The planned Robotics Center will serve as a national and international model providing hands-on instruction on robotics for various sectors including healthcare to automotive.

Cramer said, “North Alabama’s industries are diversifying and having a Robotics Center at Calhoun will ensure that we continue to have a highly skilled and specialized workforce capable of maintaining and repairing new technologies.”

The FY 2008 Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Subcommittee was established this year.  Its FY 2008 bill now moves to the full House for consideration.