House Ready to Vote on SSC; National Science Board Meets

SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER:

October 19 is going to be an important date in the history of the SSC. If all goes as scheduled, the House of Representatives will vote that day on the conference report for H.R. 2445, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill for fiscal year 1994.

This vote is going to be a real showdown between proponents and opponents of the collider. House opponents were unsuccessful in getting any seats on the conference committee writing the final version of the bill. The House and Senate members of the conference committee, drawn solely from the appropriations subcommittees, voted to fully fund the administration’s request for the SSC -- $640 million. That figure, and the lack of representation on the conference committee, has had the predictable effect on the collider’s opponents. Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-New York), a vocal SSC critic, said about next Tuesday’s vote, “We’re going to whip their ass. We’re going to beat them.”

Not helping the SSC is a letter from Department of Energy Secretary Hazel O’Leary to subcommittee chairman Tom Bevill (D-Alabama.) In this letter she increased the collider’s projected cost by about $2.7 billion over a 1991 calculation, for a new total of something less than $11 billion. O’Leary said that she will have “a firm cost estimate” by June 1994.

The telephone number for the House of Representatives is 202-225-3121. The previous House SSC roll call vote is contained in FYI #86. The vote will be on the conference report for H.R. 2445, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill.

NATIONAL SCIENCE BOARD:

The National Science Board held an open meeting this morning. Some of the points that were covered include:

FY 1994 Budget Update: A newly crafted version of H.R. 2491 would further increase NSF’s budget for this new fiscal year to 11%. The Research and Related Activities budget would increase as well, to 8%. The 11% figure is the largest increase for any department or agency funded by this bill.

Senate Appropriations Committee Report Language: Board members were informed that NSF is moving ahead on developing a plan to comply with the specific recommendations contained the Senate report.

FY 1995 Budget Deliberations: Although fiscal year 1995 is 11 1/2 months away, NSF has been working on the new budget. It has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget once, and has been further revised. NSF officials will be meeting again with OMB examiners, and will then meet with the staff of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. OSTP will discuss the foundation’s budget at a December meeting of the National Economic Council, which NSF sees as an indication of the administration’s perspective of the agency’s role in economic growth. No information was given on what kind of increase NSF will be seeking in FY 1995.

National Science Board: A committee of the board has been reviewing the role of the NSB, and has recommended that the board formalize its review of the NSF budget, become more involved in major science policy issues, and work with the science community in discussing over-all scientific priorities.

NSF Headquarters Move: Over 50% of NSF’s staff has made the move to its new suburban Virginia location. As of October 25, the mailing address and telephone number for NSF will be:

4201 Wilson Boulevard; Arlington, VA 22230. 703-306-1234