When news of Sen. Tim Johnson’s (D-S.D.) brain hemorrhage first broke in December 2006, Kevin Kephart was immediately concerned for the lawmaker’s well-being. But the vice president of research at South Dakota State University (SDSU) had other worries as well. Kephart helps lead the Sun Grant Initiative, which supports research into renewable biomass technology at several universities around the country. Johnson has been a champion of the program by earmarking funds for it and for SDSU. From 2002 to 2006, Johnson secured $3.1 million for the program. “Worry No. 1 was about Sen. Johnson’s health. But there were concerns about the funding, yes,” said Kephart. Within days, however, Johnson aides had reached out to Kephart to tell him not to fret over future funding. In fact, Kephart’s program has a $3.5 million earmark in the Senate’s Energy and Water appropriations bill.