Defense bill benefits military, universities

Utah's military installations and universities will receive some $91 million under the 2006 Defense Appropriations bill, which passed in the U.S. Senate Friday.

Both House and Senate conferees will now meet to reconcile differences in the bill.

The Senate bill includes:

• $30 million for Hill Air Force Base programs, including new F-16 maintenance facilities and a program supporting the nation's Minuteman III missile system.

• 10.5 million will go to Utah State University, Brigham Young University and University of Utah for defense-related research, and to Western Governors University to help military personnel receive college credits for skills learned while serving their country.

• $12 million to ATK-Thiokol to design and test the Submarine-Launched Intermediate Range Ballistic Missile.

• $4.7 million for research of alternative delivery methods for vaccines.

• $3.5 million for research of hybrid-electric Army vehicles.

Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, urged conferees in the House and Senate to quickly reconcile their differences and get the bill signed into law.

"With the nation at war, it's particularly important that the Pentagon receives the funding it needs to support the men and women of the armed forces to keep our country safe," Bennett said.