Washington, DC, Sep 27, 2006 - Representative John Carter (TX-31), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, successfully secured funding for a number of projects in the House passed Fiscal Year 2007 Department of Defense Appropriations bill. These funds will help support our military and will benefit the 31^st Congressional District.

“Ensuring that our troops receive the resources they need to defend our nation and win the war on terror remains a top priority of mine. I am pleased to have helped secure funding for critical projects that enhance our nation’s defense capabilities,” Congressman Carter said. “I am honored to represent the largest military installation in the world, Fort Hood, and thousands of our brave soldiers and their families. Providing funding support for our military will help keep our military the strongest in the world.”

Carter worked to secure funding for the following projects that benefit Central Texas:

· $1.1 million for Fort Hood Training Lands Restoration. This funding will be used to rehabilitate training lands on Fort Hood through a compost and seeding program. In addition, this program will verify the effectiveness of training land rehabilitation efforts.

· $1.5 million for digitization support at Fort Hood. for digitization support. This partnership between the University of Texas, and Texas A&M has provided high-end technical support for the problems encountered during the transformation of the Army’s digitization program.

· $900,000 for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder research. This funding will give researchers at the Imaging Research Center at the University of Texasaccess to tools that will assist in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which is being experience by a number of deployed service members. Access to the Magnetic Resonance Imaging instrument will allow faculty and researchers to investigate the underlying mechanisms of other psychological disorders, as well as drug and alcohol addiction. Congressman Carter worked with Congressman McCaul to secure this funding.

· $3.25 million for the Army Legacy Logistic Systems Modernization. This funding will go toward the procurement and continued modernization of Army Legacy Logistic Systems Modernization (SAMS-E), which updates the existing DOS-based Army inventory tracking system into a more efficient and user friendly Windows environment. Specifically, this will help improve inventory tracking and control.

· $1.35 for Army computer vulnerability assessment. This funding will support the Information Assurance Vulnerability Alert Cell (IAVA), which monitors and corrects computer viruses and hacking threats that could harm Army STAMIS computer logistics systems.

· $1.1 million for testing biological threats at military bases. These funds will allow for the continuation of Phase II Army Bioaerosol Sampling research being conducted by Texas A&M University. This advanced technology helps detect and protect against biological agents, and is targeted for force protection applicable to military bases, airbases, and port facilities.

· $1.375 million for devices to combat Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). This funding will be used for electro-magnetic Flak Impulse Systems Technology, which uses compact impulse power for radio-frequency devices for defense against IEDs and Rocket Propelled Grenades (RPGs). Congressman Carter worked with Congressman Lamar Smith to secure this funding.

The Senate is expected to take up this legislation as early as today. It will then be sent to the President for his signature.