Cornhusker State News

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, has announced that she has advanced $5 million in funding for Nebraska’s research institutions. The funds are included in the Fiscal Year 2026 Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Act, which is pending consideration on the Senate floor.

“Nebraska’s research institutions are the backbone of the future bioeconomy, conservation, and biomedical research workforce. This funding not only fuels groundbreaking research – it strengthens local economies by supporting the contractors and businesses that make this work possible. I’m proud to advance this investment in Nebraska’s innovative research ecosystem and ensure that our institutions have the resources they need to succeed,” Fischer said.

The projects supported by this funding include:

- Growing Nebraska’s Bioeconomy: $1 million will be used at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to purchase equipment and develop space for designing, building, testing, modeling, and validating products aimed at growing Nebraska’s bioeconomy. The new bio-engineering facility will support applications in biomedical research, agriculture, and biosecurity.

- Instrumentation for Advanced Water Research: Another $1 million is allocated for equipment upgrades at the Water Sciences Laboratory and Conservation and Survey Division of the University of Nebraska—Lincoln. These upgrades aim to enhance water quality research as groundwater sources face increasing environmental pressures from agricultural production.

- Scientific Instrumentation for Biomedical Research: The University of Nebraska at Kearney will receive $3 million to modernize and expand its comparative biomedical research training infrastructure. This effort supports experiential learning requirements for undergraduates pursuing health care careers by expanding hands-on training opportunities.

The appropriations act containing these projects must still be considered by the full Senate before becoming law.