SCHUMER, GILLIBRAND ANNOUNCE: MORE THAN $21 MILLION IN ADDITIONAL FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ROME LAB IN JUST-UNVEILED OMNIBUS BILL
Senators: Rome Lab Is At The Epicenter Of Cyber-Defense And Cutting-Edge Communications And Deserves Significant Federal Investment
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer and U. S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand today announced that the bipartisan spending bill includes an increase of more than $21 million in funding for Rome Lab. The senators were successful in securing a total of $243,329,000 in funding for Rome Lab’s operations and personnel.
“In an era of constant hacking and cyber-spying, Rome Lab is at leading edge of countering cyber threats. Clearly, we must double down on our national investment in the work done here, which is why I was proud to fight to ensure this critical federal investment was included in the must-pass budget bill,” said Senator Schumer. “Not only has Rome Lab delivered real results in developing and enhancing our nation’s cybersecurity infrastructure, but they have shown a commitment to employing local residents with good-paying jobs and partnering with local businesses to advance its work. In order for Rome Lab to continue its mission of protecting the nation’s cybersecurity network and contributing to the Mohawk Valley economy, federal funding for the lab must be protected and increased.”
“Rome Lab is a national leader in the fight to keep our country safe from cyber-attacks, and I was proud to fight for this significant federal investment to support its mission,” said Senator Gillibrand. “With our cyber networks under the constant threat of attack, Rome Lab must have the resources it needs to continue to be successful in developing the cutting-edge technology we need to support our Air Force and protect our country. In addition to being one of the nation's premier research facilities, Rome Lab is also a vital economic anchor in the Mohawk Valley that employs over 1,000 workers. This funding is critical to supporting the Lab's operations and personnel, and I'm very pleased it was included in the omnibus bill.”
Located in Oneida County, one of Rome Lab’s primary focuses is gathering and processing cyber intelligence. Since 1997, it has been the USAF’s “Superlab” and is considered the nation’s premier research organization for Command, Control, Communications, Cyber and Intelligence (C4I) technologies. The lab focuses on developing information technology for air, space and ground systems, in addition to partnering with other federal agencies, universities, private industry and other state and local governments. Rome Labs is a driver of growth for the regional economy and a major source of employment. According to the USAF’s 2017 economic impact analysis, Rome Lab employed over 1,200 workers with an annual payroll of $140 million and generated over $392 million in regional economic activity last year.
###
