Today, Rep. Nick LaLota (R-Suffolk County) released the following statement after securing $97.9 million in federal funding for Brookhaven National Lab (BNL).
"I am delighted to announce the successful procurement of nearly $100 million in federal funding for Brookhaven National Lab. During my recent visit, I had the privilege of touring BNL and engaging with its remarkable staff, witnessing firsthand the pioneering research being conducted in Suffolk County,” said LaLota. “BNL plays a vital role in providing high-quality employment opportunities for countless Long Islanders, and I am optimistic that this infusion of funding will further enhance these prospects. Rest assured, I remain committed to maximizing the value of taxpayer dollars for the benefit of Suffolk County residents."
Background:
The funding for BNL will go towards the groundbreaking Electron-Ion Collider (EIC) project, including $95 million for construction and $2.9 million for other projected costs. This funding comes from the Energy and Water Appropriations Bill, recently signed into law. This project is critical to expanding U.S. leadership in nuclear physics and accelerator science—fields of science that are crucial to our technological, economic, and national security. It will also stimulate strong international collaboration, attracting the “best and brightest” to the U.S. and New York to work on this frontier project and its associated technologies.
Earlier this month, LaLota’s bipartisan Department of Energy and Small Business Administration Research Act unanimously passed the House. The bill would support increased joint research and development activities between the Department of Energy (DOE), National Laboratories, including Brookhaven National Laboratory, and the Small Business Administration. To read the text of H.R. 4669, the DOE and SBA Research Act, click HERE.
Since coming into office, LaLota has made several visits to BNL and has taken many opportunities to highlight the work being done at the Lab.