Contact: Ernie Blazar 202.224.7627 Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Wednesday, July 2, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC –– U.S. Senator Kit Bond today announced that the Department of Transportation's (DOT) will send the Kansas City airport more than $3 million in federal funds for improvements.

"The Kansas City airport is crucial to the city's economy and these are needed improvements," said Bond, who is a senior member of the Senate Transportation Appropriations Subcommittee. "A modern transportation infrastructure will help strengthen our economy which is why I will continue to be an advocate for increased transportation funding."

Kansas City International Airport (KCI) will receive $3,225,000 in federal funding for the following projects:

* $1,725,000 to install an emergency generator. The3 airfield emergency generator needs to be replaced with a large capacity unit to meet airfield electric load requirements;

* $1,500,000 to purchase aircraft rescue and fire fighting (ARFF) safety equipment. Two new 3,000 gallon ARFF vehicles will be purchased to replace two existing vehicles that have reached their scheduled replacement dates.

Just last month Bond announced an additional $1 million in federal dollars for improvements to KCI.

Kit Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.