WASHINGTON, D.C. - Funding for Burlington County College took a huge leap forward yesterday, Congressman Jim Saxton (NJ-3rd) said today, as the Senate moved on a key bill.

"Burlington County College has been and remains at the forefront of education," Saxton said. "This funding targets emergency personnel who would respond to a chemical or biological incident by providing them with the scientific equipment they need to learn how to detect, identify and handle these hazardous materials."

Saxton added $800,000 to the House version of the Fiscal Year 2004 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education last year. Final passage of the funding came in an omnibus bill yesterday approved by the Senate in a bipartisan 65-28 vote. The money will support the activities of the High Technology Simulation Center (HTSC) at Burlington County College. In particular it is slated for purchasing lab equipment to be used in classroom training that will produce certified personnel to react to a chemical or biological incident.

"We've worked closely with the college on this effort," Saxton said. "I'm happy to report that the next and final stop is the President's desk for his signature."

Saxton convinced the Chairman of the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee, Congressman Ralph Regula, to add the project to the House bill last year.

The State of New Jersey, Burlington County officials and the college have committed nearly $3.5 million to the HTSC facility, which should be completed this year.

Saxton is the Chairman of the House Terrorism Subcommittee, and is Vice Chairman of the Joint Economic Committee between the House and Senate and Vice Chairman of the House Fisheries, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee.