Late last year, an anti-earmark Congress cut nearly $30 million from the University’s planned Interdisciplinary Science and Engineering Training and Research Corridor as part of the $130 million they cut from other planned state projects.
The $1.1 trillion omnibus spending bill, which was proposed in December of last year, was composed of funds that were earmarked by many of the state’s representatives for state universities, cities and other state projects.
According to The Associated Press, the document was not well received by some Republicans, who swore off earmarked appropriations for special projects, and the spending bill, with its earmarks, was withdrawn by Democrats before even going up for vote.
Chris Bryant, a member of UA media relations, said plans for how the complex’s construction would be paid for have not changed.
“Construction on the next phase of The University of Alabama’s Science and Engineering Complex is scheduled to begin in the spring, as planned,” Bryant said. “The University will pay for the construction using both grant funds and UA funds.”
According to a database from the Taxpayers for Common Sense, Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., lined up the project.
Shelby also proposed that $650,000 go toward a nanotoxicology research building at University of Alabama at Birmingham and $500,000 toward a research complex at University of Alabama Huntsville that would detect airborne sensors for monitoring disasters.
The same report lists Shelby, who currently sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, as the sponsor or co-sponsor of more than $155.8 million worth of earmarks in the bill, the 17th highest of all current senators.
Shelby’s press secretary did not respond to e-mails sent by The Crimson White on Sunday.
Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., came in as number 71 on the group’s list, with 31 earmark requests totaling more than $60.3 million.
Sessions’ $60.3 million of earmarked projects included plans for the Alabama National Guard, a greenway and pedestrian walkway in Center Point and an electronic medical records system for the Good Samaritan Health Clinic of Cullman, according to the AP.
The cuts did not include earmarks from the state’s House Republicans, however, because they had banned the practice of earmarking in late November of last year.
