Gov. Sam Brownback said Tuesday he spoke with Homeland Security secretary Janet Napolitano -- and received assurances that the project is still on track, to a point.

Monday the White House said it cut all construction funding from the FY 2013 budget, and would take another look at the project.

Today, Brownback said that examination doesn't mean the $1 billion facility will go somewhere else.

“Secretary Napolitano and I had an excellent conversation this morning," Brownback's statement said. "She assured me the 'reassessment' had nothing to do with the need for or location of the NBAF but rather with the overall cost and scope of the project...I fully expect that the NBAF will be built here.”

But the governor also said the state and its congressional representatives will "strongly" pursue funding for the facility.

That could be a tall order.

Congress reduced last year's spending on NBAF to $50 million, from a $150 million request; given current budget realities -- and the fact the NBAF, as federal spending project, has little enthusiastic support outside of Kansas -- and the fact that some members of Congress are working against the Kansas location -- and the fact that Kansas lawmakers have been serious deficit hawks -- convincing appropriators to cough up money this year will be a challenge.

Not to mention concerns that NBAF may never be built. Some members may conclude they need to believe there's a firm commitment to fully funding NBAF before cutting loose much money to partially fund it.