* * *Media Advisory* * *
Biggert, Durbin, Foster to Speak at Fermi National Laboratory

WHO:
-  U.S. Representative Judy Biggert (R-IL-13th)
-  U.S. Senator Richard Durbin (D-IL)
-  U.S. Representative Bill Foster (D-IL-14)
-  Pier Oddone, Director of Fermilab
-  Jeff Kupfer, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy
 
WHAT:
Biggert will join Director Oddone, Deputy Secretary Kupfer, and fellow members of the Illinois Delegation for an ‘all hands’ staff meeting with the employees of Fermi National Laboratory followed by a brief press availability.  During the meeting, Director Oddone is expected to announce the suspension of involuntary layoffs thanks to federal science funding secured by the Illinois Congressional Delegation and signed into law Monday.
 
WHEN:   
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
11:15 am
 
WHERE:
Fermi National Laboratory
Ramsey Auditorium, Wilson Hall
Wilson and Kirk Roads
Batavia, IL 60510
 
WHY:
As a result of cuts to federal science programs made in the 2008 omnibus appropriations package, Fermilab had expected to layoff approximately 140 researchers and their staff.  In order to prevent the loss of top scientists and protect U.S. competitiveness, Biggert and other members of the Illinois Delegation secured $62.5 million for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science in the recently enacted emergency supplemental appropriations bill.  The additional funds are expected to allow Fermi and Argonne National Laboratories to avoid further layoffs and put a number of groundbreaking experiments back on track.
 
Media are invited to attend and should make arrangements as soon as possible.  To do so, please contact Kurt Riesselmann with Fermilab at (630) 840-5681 or kurtr@fnal.gov.  To ensure a prompt starting time, guests are asked to arrive at Wilson Hall no later than 11:15 a.m.

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