[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 131 (Wednesday, September 16, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2280]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           RECOGNIZING THE KANSAS CITY ANIMAL HEALTH CORRIDOR

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                        HON. BENNIE G. THOMPSON

                             of mississippi

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 16, 2009

  Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to 
House Resolution 317, which would recognize the region from Manhattan, 
Kansas, to Columbia, Missouri, as the Kansas City Animal Health 
Corridor.
  While I have no issues with the larger goals of the resolution--to 
recognize the work that is going on in Kansas and Missouri on animal 
health--I do take issue with the recognition of the Manhattan, Kansas 
site ``as the future location for the National Bio and Agro-defense 
Facility (NBAF).''
  I support moving the critical research activities of Plum Island onto 
the U.S. mainland. However, I, like many other Members, have grave 
concerns about the selection process that was utilized by the prior 
Administration to secure a site for the NBAF. I do not believe that the 
selection criteria were applied in a consistent manner. Accordingly, I 
have discomfort with the inclusion of the reference to the Manhattan, 
Kansas site in this resolution.
  Moreover, while I have no doubt that there is salutary work on animal 
health being conducted in Kansas and Missouri, I have some discomfort 
with the statement that the Kansas-Missouri corridor has ``unmatched'' 
capacity to support the animal health industry. There are certainly 
other areas around the Nation that have a great deal of capacity.
  For these reasons, I must vote ``no'' on the resolution.

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