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Officials urging Defense Secretary to leave Rome research facilities as is

By WKTV News

Story Created: Feb 6, 2012 at 5:30 PM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 6, 2012 at 6:48 PM EDT

ROME, N.Y. (WKTV) - It seems that everyone is having to tighten the belt at least a little bit when it comes to annual budgets, and the United States Military is no different.

Lawmakers say the research that's being done over at the Griffis Business and Technology Park in Rome is vital to our nation's defense initiative and are asking government officials to keep it right where it is.

U.S. Senators Chuck Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, along with U.S. Congressmen Richard Hanna and Bill Owens wrote a letter to U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, urging him not to move Rine Labs, EADS, or D-FAS.

Rome Labs is doing research in the field of cyber-security, science and technology, and with budget cuts in the military, there's always a concern for closures. Schumer made a stop in Syracuse on Monday to talk about why the organization is so important to the area.

"The work Rome Labs does is done no where else and to close it down and move it somewhere...there's always a push from the folks in Dayton to move things over there...would make no sense," Schumer said. "I will make that clear to Secretary Panetta."

Schumer says similar military cuts were made about five years ago and all of New York's institutions were saved then. He hopes he and his fellow lawmakers are able to convince Panetta to spare the facilities this time around.

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