Senate DOE Appropriations Report Language: High Energy Physics, Nuclear Physics, Basic Energy Sciences

Accompanying the bill, H.R. 2445, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for fiscal year 1994, is a report from the Senate Appropriations Committee. Senate Report 103-147 contains committee recommendations for various DOE programs. While not having the force of law, these recommendations are generally adhered to by a department or agency. Final report language and funding levels are determined by a conference committee composed of members from the House and Senate Appropriations Committees.

The following is report language for three DOE programs. Other programs will be covered in subsequent issues of FYI.

HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS:

“The Committee recommendation for high energy physics totals $612,769,000. [The House bill provided $627,769,000, which was the administration’s request. Current year funding is $613,384,000.] Funds are provided to continue construction of the main injector at Fermilab for completion in 1998, in order to take full advantage of the research potential of the world’s highest-energy particle accelerator, Fermilab’s tevatron. To maintain U.S. leadership in the field, the Secretary of Energy is encouraged to make full and effective use of the resources of Fermilab, the Nation’s most active laboratory for high-energy physics research, and the only one now equipped to work at the energy frontier of the field.

“The Committee has deferred the requested $36,000,000 to construct an asymmetric B-meson production facility (B-Factory) at either the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center or at the Cornell Electron Storage Ring as the review decision has not been made. Therefore, the Committee recommendation does not contain the administration proposal that no funds can be obligated for this project until a review of the Stanford and Cornell projects has been completed. Additional operating funds have been restored for fiscal year 1994.”

NUCLEAR PHYSICS:

“The Committee recommendation for nuclear physics totals $353,345,000 which is $31,000,000 greater than the administration’s request of $322,345,000 [the House bill provided $337,345,000; current year funding is $309,100,000.]

“The Committee agrees with the House [Appropriations] Committee concerns over the Department’s decision to close the Los Alamos Meson Physics Facility (LAMPF). The closure of this facility will significantly reduce the scientific output of this country and a valuable experimental facility will be lost. The Committee recommendation includes an additional $19,000,000 to continue operations and to enhance the nuclear physics program at Los Alamos. In addition to these funds, the Committee urges the Department to examine every possibility to increase the operation of this important facility by using unobligated funds.

“The funding provided here will allow for the first year of a 2-year phaseout of the LAMPF nuclear physics user program. This does not preclude the operation of the accelerator as a multipurpose facility for use in civilian and defense research with a principal role as a neutron spallation source.

“In addition, the Committee recommendation provides an additional $1,000,000 to significantly increase the utilization of the Bates Linear Accelerator Center operated by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. These accelerator facilities serve a nationwide community of scientists from over 100 American institutions.

“Additional funds are provided under the construction activity for the relativistic heavy ion collider (RHIC) at Brookhaven National Laboratory and the continuous electron beam accelerator facility (CEBAF) at Newport News. These funds will help maintain the schedules and avoid further delays.”

BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES:

“The administration requested $997,726,000 for supporting research and technical analysis which includes basic energy sciences, advanced neutron source, energy oversight, and multiprogram facility support. The Committee recommendation provides $975,726,000 and makes the following adjustments.

“The Committee recommends $17,000,000 to continue the research and design of the advanced neutron source.” The House bill provided $22,000,000; the administration requested $39,000,000.

(Other adjustments were made for energy biosciences, EPSCoR, and earmarks.)