Congressman Roy Blunt is in Joplin today. He is holding a press conference this morning at Eagle-Picher Industries, C & Porter to tout his influence in Congress. Included in the 2006 Department of Defense Appropriations Act (H.R.2863) is approval for 6 Southwest Missouri projects totaling more than $27.1 million.

While most of the money will benefit research being conducted at Missouri State University in Springfield, $8.4 million will be allocated to companies in Joplin.

Added on to the $3.8 million secured by Blunt last year for the Gestalt Company which began operations in March 2005 with about a dozen employees is Blunt's appropriation of $7 million. Gestalt CEO Bill Loftus says the addidional funds will allow his operations to expand. His company monitors military computer systems.

The remaining funds, $1.4 million, will be added on to funds already secured for research at Eagle-Picher which, the company says, will lead to development of thin film batteries for military use and add an array of new capabilities to weapons' design.

Win some, lose some

The temporary closing of RES in Carthage symbolizes the use of taxpayer monies gone awry. At the end of 2003 Blunt took credit with Senator Kit Bond for securing start up funding of $5 million for the plant that was supposed to use state of the art technology for converting poultry waste into saleable products. Several million dollars more were allocated to move along this joint venture of Changing World Technologies and ConAgra Foods. However, the plant is seen in the eyes of its Carthage residents as no more than a fat-rendering plant that should have been located in an area where its stench did not affect the health and happiness of its neighbors.

For background on RES, put the name in the search box on the Joplin Independent homepage.

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