New Space Robotics Institute Funded by Congress

"New Space Robotics Institute Funded by Congress"
available from http://www.eng.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=209

This struck me as somewhat surprising, partly because i had never really considered that congress would take such an interest in the future of robotic technologies. Stanford University united with Carnegie-Mellon University are advancing the research of new robotics through the construction of the Institute for Dextrous Space Robotics. The NASA 2006 budget approved by congress, and signed by the president, gives them the much needed funding for such an endeavor; roughly 3.5 million dollars. The institute's primary focus will the development of robotic technologies that will be needed by NASA in the years to come. Such endeavors include designing and constructing of large space telescopes, the much needed technologies for advanced surface exploration.
This is interesting because although the government is taking notice of the importance that robotic technology promises, 3.5 million dollars doesn't seem sufficient to fund and maintain an active research center with such expensive demands. Perhaps if they allocated more funds into the research, it would move along at a quicker pace, but no one can say for certain.