Senate Agriculture Committee chairman Pat Roberts (R., Kan.) introduced a bipartisan bill, along with ranking member Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D., Mich.), to affirm the mission of the National Bio & Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF) that is currently being built in Manhattan, Kan.

“NBAF is a historic economic and scientific achievement for Kansas. The hundreds of high-paying jobs created at NBAF will provide opportunities for generations of Kansans and will spur research partnerships across the entire state,” Roberts said. “NBAF is a national security asset that will serve a critical role in protecting our nation's animal health. The research and development at this facility is vital in protecting against bio- and agro-terrorism threats -- one of my greatest concerns.”

NBAF was created as a national security laboratory asset that will serve as a Biosafety Level 4 animal health research and development facility for defense against bio terrorism and agroterrorism threats. This bill directs NBAF to carry out relevant objectives of Homeland Security Presidential Directive 9 and the National Biodefense Strategy, both aimed at securing U.S. food and agriculture.

The bill also outlines the national security mission of the facility and the duties of the agencies responsible for implementing that mission, including research, training and coordination efforts related to animal health, veterinary countermeasure development, emerging foreign animal disease threats and threat detection.

In a statement, Roberts said he has worked for more than 20 years to create NBAF and see it built in Kansas. In 1999, as the first chairman of the newly formed emerging threats subcommittee, Roberts became aware of the threats the nation faced against intentionally introduced pathogens weaponized and aimed at destroying plant and animal populations. During a congressional delegation trip to Obolensk, one of Russia's secret cities, he saw firsthand production and storage facilities for biological weapons, including anthrax.

Once construction is completed, NBAF, located in a 500,000 sq. ft. building, will create as many as 500 high-paying, scientific federal jobs in Kansas, plus will bring in additional jobs in research partnerships in the state. Over a 20-year period, it is estimated that the facility will have a $3.5 billion impact on the Kansas economy. Construction of the facility is also expected to create 1,500 construction jobs.

NBAF is expected to be operational in 2022.