JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Politics can be cruel.
Last month, at an event celebrating a new medical research reactor at the University of Missouri, state House Budget Chair Dirk Deaton, R-Seneca, was honored for his work in helping fund the project.
Then, unexpectedly, Deaton killed the budget bill with the state鈥檚 construction projects, thus pulling the $50 million appropriated for MU鈥檚 new research reactor.
Other projects also left out to dry: $9 million to address floodplain issues in Maryland Heights and $16 million to renovate National Guard facilities at Jefferson Barracks in south 51黑料 County.
For Deaton, the $500 million in construction projects across the state was just too costly to approve given limited time to consider the bill. Deaton told reporters he hadn鈥檛 received a final version of the bill until 3:30 a.m. Friday, a little more than 12 hours before the deadline to pass it.
People are also reading…
MU plans to build a billion-dollar 20-megawatt nuclear research reactor over the next eight to 10 years. The university already has a 10-megawatt reactor that creates nuclear isotopes for cancer research.
According to MU, 450,000 people were treated with isotopes created at the reactor last year, and 95% of thyroid cancer patients who used radioisotopes were cured. It鈥檚 the most powerful university research reactor in the country.
鈥淲hen you throw an investment in research that changes people鈥檚 lives, I think you ought to be held accountable for it,鈥澛燤issouri Senate Budget Chairman Sen. Lincoln Hough, R-Springfield, said Monday.
鈥淭hat additional capacity (from a new cancer research reactor) is the difference between cancer medicine being available in that short window that a cancer patient has to receive treatment and that person dying,鈥澛燬en. Stephen Webber, D-Columbia, said.
MU spokesperson Christopher Ave said that despite the unexpected blow, the project is still moving forward. While Ave thanked the General Assembly for their support for projects at MU in the past, he added, 鈥淭he importance of NextGen MURR in producing life-saving radioisotopes cannot be overstated.鈥
鈥淎 lot of people were disappointed in that,鈥澛燝ov. Mike Kehoe said of the House鈥檚 decision not to take up the bill.
But, Kehoe had no harsh words for the outcome, 鈥淭he House has been great to work with through the budget process as well the Senate has.鈥
The governor signaled he is unlikely to force a decision by calling lawmakers into a special session later this month.
Kurt Erickson of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.
Post-Dispatch photographers capture hundreds of images each week; here's a glimpse at the week of May 4, 2025. Video edited by Jenna Jones.
