DOE Funding Bill Passes Senate Appropriations Committee, Senate Floor

Yesterday, the Senate passed H.R. 1905, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill for fiscal year 1996. The bill, which makes appropriations for the Department of Energy, made its way through the Senate appropriations process quickly. The Senate Energy and Water Development Appropriations Subcommittee held its mark-up of H.R. 1905 on July 25, the full Appropriations Committee marked up the bill two days later, and floor consideration was begun on July 31 and completed yesterday.

Early reports indicate that several amendments to the bill were approved on the Senate floor, altering it from the version passed by the Senate Appropriations Committee. In particular, DOE would be allowed to allocate funds (of up to $56 million) for continued operation of the Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) at Princeton, while funding (of $12.5 million) for the gas turbine modular helium reactor would be eliminated. It is not clear whether TFTR operations would be funded from new money provided to DOE or by a reallocation of funds from other DOE programs.

Few details of the Senate-passed bill are available yet. Below and in subsequent FYIs, information is provided from the Senate Appropriations Committee’s version of the bill, and its accompanying report, S. Report 104-120. The Committee report proposed to reduce funding for several DOE science programs, including high energy physics and fusion, below the House’s recommendation (see FYIs #84, 85 and 100 for the House’s actions.) However, keep in mind that changes may have been made on the Senate floor, and further details will be provided, if necessary, as available.

FUSION ENERGY: The Senate Appropriations Committee had recommended $225.1 million for the fusion program. [House recommendation: $229.1 million; Request: $366.1 million; FY95 funding: $372.6 million.] It is not known whether the fusion total was increased by the action on the Senate floor, or whether funds were simply shifted. The Committee report provides the following text:

“Consistent with the direction provided in the conference report...for fiscal year 1995 (H. Rept. 103-672), the President’s Advisory Council on Science and Technology [PCAST] initiated a review and evaluation of the fusion energy program. In that review...the PCAST panel recommended a stable level of funding of approximately $320,000,000 per year. A program funded at that level would provide for a core research program, operation of the Tokamak fusion test reactor [TFTR], and continued participation in the ITER project. While the Committee appreciates the efforts of the PCAST panel, the resources to fund such a program are not available.... The Committee provides funding to support a domestic core physics research and development program [including continued operation of the DIII-D and the Alcator C-Mod] following the recommendation of the PCAST panel, and to continue the U.S. participation in the engineering design activities phase of the international thermonuclear experimental reactor [ITER] project, to which the United States is committed through fiscal year 1998.

“The Committee has been advised that the administration will develop a strategy for restructuring the fusion program at a reduced level of funding using the PCAST panel report as the framework.... [I]t is crucial that a restructuring of the fusion program not undermine our credibility as a reliable international partner.”

ATOMIC ENERGY DEFENSE ACTIVITIES: DOE supports some inertial confinement fusion (ICF) research within its defense programs. The Committee makes the following recommendations for ICF, as well as the National Ignition Facility. “An appropriation of $240,667,000 is recommended for the Inertial Confinement Fusion Program...[which] continues to be a major contributor to the science and technology base supporting the nuclear deterrent...” The report provides the full budget requests for the Nike laser at the Naval Research Laboratory, and the Omega laser at the University of Rochester.

Regarding the National Ignition Facility, the report states, “The Committee has restored funding for the national ignition facility [NIF] deferred by the House Committee. The NIF is a key facility in maintaining the nuclear weapons science expertise required for the stockpile stewardship program and supporting the weapons effects testing. An appropriation of $37,400,000 is recommended for the NIF project, which is the same as the budget request.”

BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES: The Appropriations Committee recommended $791.7 million for the BES program, equal to the House recommendation. [Request: $811.4 million; FY95 funding: $747.3 million.] Within BES, funding is provided for Materials Sciences, including design work on a spallation neutron source. The report says, “The Committee supports an appropriation for $8,000,000 [equal to the request] for research and development and conceptual design activities for a new spallation neutron source.” DOE has indicated that Oak Ridge National Laboratory would be the preferred location for the new facility. While the Committee Report requested a competitive site selection process, this requirement was apparently removed on the Senate floor.