Defense bill includes $100 million for state

Thursday, Sept. 29, 2005 | 9:55 a.m.

SUN WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON -- A key Senate panel on Wednesday approved a massive Defense Department spending bill that includes more than $100 million for Nevada projects. The full Senate could vote as early as next week on the legislation.

The bill includes $14.5 million for Nellis Air Force Base projects and $7.5 million for the Nevada National Guard.

It also includes money for a base that had been on the chopping block earlier this year: $7.6 million for Hawthorne Army Depot. The depot was slated for closure by the Pentagon but was later spared.

The bill also includes:

$3 million for the University of Nevada School of Medicine for high-speed blood transfusion equipment for research on battlefield blood transfusions.

$2 million for UNLV for development of a light-weight "blast containment vessel" that would offer explosion cover for emergency workers responding to bomb threats.

$1.8 million for UNLV for nanotechnology work in the detection of biological agents.

$8 million for Rocky Research of Boulder City for research into equipment that will keep electronic systems cool in desert heat.

$8 million for the Sierra Nevada Corp. of Sparks to work on a helicopter landing system that will help pilots land more safely in sandstorms.