FYI: Science Policy News
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Back from the Precipice: SSC Wins Senate Approval

OCT 01, 1993

After months of uncertainty following a June vote in the House of Representatives, the Senate yesterday voted to fully fund the administration’s request for the Superconducting Super Collider. By a vote of 57 to 42, the Senate rejected an amendment offered by Senator Dale Bumpers (D-Arkansas) to terminate the collider. There were ten more negative votes against the collider this year than last year.

The stage is now set for a major confrontation between House opponents of the SSC, who voted to terminate the collider, and Senate backers that approved $640 million for the project in fiscal year 1994. Initial forays will start in a conference committee made up of House and Senate appropriators, all of whom back the SSC. Interesting to watch will be the degree to which House opponents are successful in gaining admittance to what is a closely-guarded process (see FYI #110.)

Congress has only been able to finalize work on two of the thirteen appropriations bills by the start of fiscal year 1994, which is today. A continuing resolution will keep in the government in business by providing money at the same rate as last year for the next three weeks.

The following is the September 30 Senate roll call vote on the collider. Senator J. Bennett Johnston (D-Louisiana) asked for a motion to table, or kill, the termination amendment offered by Senator Bumpers. Senators voting YES were voting in FAVOR of the SSC. Senators voting NO were voting AGAINST the SSC.

*** YEAS(57) ******************************************************

DEMOCRATS (26)

Akaka D (HI)

Ford W (KY)

Moseley-Braun (IL)

Biden J (DE)

Glenn J (OH)

Moynihan D (NY)

Bingaman J (NM)

Graham B (FL)

Pell C (RI)

Boren D (OK)

Heflin H (AL)

Reid H (NV)

Breaux J (LA)

Johnston J (LA)

Robb C (VA)

Byrd R (WV)

Kerrey B (NE)

Rockefeller J (WV)

Campbell B (CO)

Lieberman J (CT)

Shelby R (AL)

Daschle T (SD)

Mathews H (TN)

Simon P (IL)

Feinstein D (CA)

Mikulski B (MD)

REPUBLICANS (31)

Bennett R (UT)

Grassley C (IA)

McConnell M (KY)

Brown H (CO)

Hatch O (UT)

Murkowski F (AK)

Chafee J (RI)

Hatfield M (OR)

Nickles D (OK)

Cochran T (MS)

Helms J (NC)

Packwood B (OR)

Coverdell P (GA)

Hutchison K (TX)

Pressler L (SD)

Craig L (ID)

Kempthorne D (ID)

Simpson A (WY)

Danforth J (MO)

Lott T (MS)

Specter A (PA)

Dole B (KS)

Lugar R (IN)

Stevens T (AK)

Domenici P (NM)

Mack C (FL)

Thurmond S (SC)

Gorton S (WA)

McCain J (AZ)

Wallop M (WY)

Gramm P (TX)

*** NAYS (42)

**********************

**************************

******

DEMOCRATS (29)

Baucus M (MT)

Feingold R (WI)

Metzenbaum H (OH)

Boxer B (CA)

Harkin T (IA)

Mitchell G (ME)

Bradley B (NJ)

Hollings E (SC)

Murray P (WA)

Bryan R (NV)

Inouye D (HI)

Nunn S (GA)

Bumpers D (AR)

Kennedy E (MA)

Riegle D (MI)

Conrad K (ND)

Kerry J (MA)

Sarbanes P (MD)

DeConcini D (AZ)

Kohl H (WI)

Sasser J (TN)

Dodd C (CT)

Lautenberg F (NJ)

Wellstone P (MN)

Dorgan B (ND)

Leahy P (VT)

Wofford H (PA)

Exon J (NE)

Levin C (MI)

REPUBLICANS (13)

Bond C (MO)

Durenberger D (MN)

Kassebaum N (KS)

Burns C (MT)

Faircloth L (NC)

Roth W (DE)

Coats D (IN)

Gregg J (NH)

Smith R (NH)

Cohen W (ME)

Jeffords J (VT)

Warner J (VA)

D’Amato A (NY)

*** NOT VOTING

**********************

**************************

******

DEMOCRATS

Pryor D (AR)

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