DOE FY 1995 Budget Bill Goes to Senate Floor - High Energy Physics, SSC

Beginning as early as today, and continuing through the remainder of the week, the Senate will consider H.R. 4506, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill for FY 1995. Accompanying this Senate version of the bill (passed earlier this month by the House) is a committee report. While not having the force of law, these recommendations are the basis for later negotiations with the House Appropriations Committee to resolve differences between the two versions of the bill. Selections from the Senate committee report follow. See FYI #74 for the comparable House report language.

HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS:

“The Committee recommends a total of $631,491,000 for the High Energy Physics Program, an increase of about $10,000,000 over the Department’s request [the House bill provides $646,890,000.] The Committee believes that a vigorous program in physics research is necessary to support the vitality of the Nation’s fundamental research. The Department’s fiscal year 1995 high energy physics budget request of $621,890,000, however, would essentially hold the program to the fiscal year 1994 level.

“Yet, within those funds the Department is requesting a significant increase in construction funds for the B-Factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center and the Fermilab main injector. At the same time, the Department proposes that the operating budget for existing high-energy physics facilities decline by almost $25,000,000. Such a decrease would force existing accelerators to reduce running times to the point where it is questionable whether they are worth running at all. Such a decrease combined with the termination of the superconducting super collider would seriously disable the High Energy Physics Program.

“An increase of $10,000,000 will allow the Department to move forward with construction of the B-Factory and the Fermilab main injector and partly restore the operating budget for existing facilities nearer to fiscal year 1994 levels.

“The Committee approves $40,000,000 for the B-Factory upgrade at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center, and supports timely completion of both this facility and the Fermi Lab main injector, which, with the Brookhaven National Laboratory’s accelerator, will be the primary experimental facilities on which a strong high energy physics program can be based in the years ahead.”

SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER:

“The administration has requested an additional $143,491,000 to terminate the superconducting super collider. The Committee provided $640,000,000 in fiscal year 1994. This combined with unobligated balances from prior years will allow a total of $735,869,000 to finance the termination costs of the superconducting super collider. The Committee is aware that the Department and the State of Texas are currently negotiating a settlement of Texas’s claims arising out of the SSC termination.

“The Committee recommends a provision in the bill, as requested by the Department, that the Department believes will permit the Department to bring the settlement negotiations to a successful conclusion and avoid expensive and time-consuming litigation. The Committee agrees with the Department’s assessment that authority to use previously appropriated funds not to exceed $65,000,000 for this purpose is appropriate and hopes that such authority will successfully bring about a settlement of the States’ claims arising out of the termination of the SSC.

“The Committee encourages the Department to conclude negotiations and consummate an agreement with the State of Texas in an expeditious manner, as required under previously issued directions by this Committee. Furthermore, upon conclusion of the Department’s settlement with the State of Texas, the Committee expects to be made aware of all Federal conditions necessary to satisfy any settlement with the State of Texas and fulfill the statutory mandate to maximize the value of the investment made in the project.”

Neither the House or the Senate provided additional termination money.