Conference Report on FY96 Energy & Water Development Appropriations

On October 25, House and Senate conferees completed work on H.R. 1905, the fiscal year 1996 Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. Below are details of funding for selected DOE programs, as well as highlights of the conference report (H. Rept. 104-293), which accompanies the bill and provides the conferees’ views.

FUSION: The conferees agreed to provide $244.1 million for fusion energy programs, which is a decrease of 33.3 percent from the Administration’s request. The Senate recommendation was $281.1 million, the House recommendation was $229.1 million, the request was $366.1 million, and FY95 funding was $372.6 million.

The conference report states, “This funding is to support a program in plasma science and fusion technology, and continue United States participation in the engineering design activities phase of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project to which the United States is committed through fiscal year 1998. The conferees do not agree with the Senate language which recommended transferring computer work, termination, severance and separation costs to other activities within the Department, and transferring the heavy ion fusion program to defense activities.

“With little prospect for increased funding for the fusion base program over the next several years, it will be necessary for the program to restructure its strategy, content and near-to-medium-term objectives. The restructured program should emphasize continued development of fusion science, increased attention to concept improvement and alternative approaches to fusion, and development and testing of the low-activation structural materials so important for fusion’s attractiveness as an energy source.

The Department of Energy, with participation of the fusion community and the Fusion Energy Advisory Committee, is instructed to prepare a strategic plan to implement such a restructured program, to be completed by December 31, 1995. This plan should assume a constant level of effort in the base program for the next several years; as appropriate, it should be integrated with plans of the international fusion program; and it should address the institutional makeup of a domestic program consistent with the funding assumptions.

“The conferees believe that, because of the stringent budget realities facing this Nation, the promise of fusion energy can only be realized through international collaboration. The high cost of fusion development points to the increasing importance of international cooperation as a means of designing, building, and financing major magnetic fusion facilities in the future. Because the United States has committed to such an approach, it is crucial that a restructuring of the fusion program maintain a strong domestic base and not undermine our credibility as a reliable international partner.”

BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES: The conference report recommends $791.7 million for BES, which, although a decrease of 2.4 percent from the request, is equal to both the Senate and House recommendations. The request was $811.4 million; FY95 funding was $747.3 million. According to the conference report, “The conferees make no recommendation with regard to the siting of the new spallation source project. The Department of Energy shall make that determination in a fair and unbiased manner. The conferees direct the Department of Energy to evaluate opportunities to upgrade existing reactors and spallation sources as cost-effective means of providing neutrons in the near term for the scientific community while the next generation source is developed. This evaluation shall be available prior to the Appropriations Committee’s hearings on the Department’s fiscal year 1997 budget submission.

“For purposes of reprogrammings during fiscal year 1996, funding may be reallocated by the Department among all operating accounts in basic energy sciences other than program direction.”

GENERAL SCIENCE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: The conferees provide $981.0 million, a decrease of 3.6 percent from the request, and halfway between the Senate recommendation of $971.0 million and the House recommendation of $991.0 million. The request was $1,017.5 million; FY95 funding was $984.0 million. This account comprises high energy and nuclear physics, which are described below. The conference report did not contain any language on these programs.

HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS: Within General Science and Research Activities, the conference agreement gives High Energy Physics $667.0 million, a decrease of 2.7 percent from the request, and halfway between the Senate recommendation of $657.0 million and the House recommendation of $677.0 million. The request was $685.6 million; FY95 funding was $642.1 million.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS: The conferees provide $304.5 million for Nuclear Physics, a decrease of 5.2 percent from the request, and equal to the Senate and House recommendations. The request was $321.1 million; FY95 funding was $331.5 million.

ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES: Within this category, some inertial confinement fusion research is performed. The conference report states, “Funding of $37,400,000, the same as the budget request, is provided for...the National Ignition Facility. Full funding for all inertial confinement fusion program participants is provided as requested in the Department’s budget justification.”

UNIVERSITY SCIENCE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMS: The conferees provide $22.0 million for this program, noting that only severance costs can be paid to the program’s 27 employees. The report says, “In addition to this individual program, the Department of Energy spends well over $100,000,000 throughout all programs to support science and education activities. The conferees continue to support science and education activities funded directly by programs and which have a direct correlation to programmatic needs. The conferees do not agree to fund a separate bureaucracy set up to manage only a small portion of the science and education activities of the Department...”

The conference report now goes back to the House and Senate floors for final approval before being sent to the President. Conferees are hopeful that there will be no roadblocks on the floor and that President Clinton will sign the bill, but House Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee Chairman John Myers (R-IN) was quoted by Congressional Quarterly’s Weekly report as stating, “You never know.” The House plans to take up the conference report today.