In Perspective: Congressional Support for DOE Physics Research Programs

The House and Senate have passed, and sent to the President, H.R. 1905, the Energy and Water Development Appropriations Bill for FY 1996. The President is expected to sign this legislation, which is described in FYI #154. It seems appropriate to examine how the budgets for fusion energy, high energy physics, and nuclear physics research programs compare to the funding recommendations contained in recent studies. There is no recent comparable report for Basic Energy Sciences.

Note that research programs are constantly evolving, resulting in changing budget requirements. The recommendations in the cited reports have not been “updated” to reflect any program changes since the reports were issued.

FUSION ENERGY RESEARCH:

Of the four major DOE physics research programs, fusion energy research took by far the biggest hit. The fusion energy budget for FY 1996 will be $244.1 million. The administration requested $366.1 million. The budget for FY 1995 was $372.6 million -- with a decline between these years of $128.5 million, or -34.5%.

For perspective on this FY 1996 budget, consider the President’s Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Fusion Review Panel report released last July (see FYI #98.) This report stated that a “strong case” could be made for the Administration’s $366.1 million request. Realizing budget constraints, the panel recommended a budget of $320 million per year between FY 1996 and FY 2005. This would ensure the preservation of “what we believe to be the most indispensable elements of the U.S. fusion effort and associated international collaboration.”

In looking at a much leaner budget scenario, the review panel stated: "...we also have attempted to envision a program that could preserve key priorities at a still lower budget level of about $200 million per year. We find that this cannot be done.”

The Executive Summary of this PCAST report concludes, “We urge, therefore, that the Administration and Congress commit themselves firmly to a U.S. fusion R&D program that is stable at not less than $320 million per year.”

In a direct response to this recommendation, the Senate Appropriations Committee report language stated: “While the Committee appreciates the efforts of the PCAST panel, the resources to fund such a program are not available....” (See FYI #110.)

As explained in FYI #154, the final conference report written last week states: “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.” A strategic plan is requested by December 31, 1995. The conference report language notes that the plan “should assume a constant level of effort in the base program for the next several years.”

The bottom line: The FY 1996 fusion energy program budget of $244.1 million is 23.7% less than that recommended by the PCAST Fusion Review Panel.

HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS RESEARCH:

The DOE High Energy Physics budget for FY 1996 will be $667.0 million. The administration requested $685.6 million. The budget for FY 1995 was $642.1 million.

For perspective on this FY 1996 budget, in May 1994 the “High Energy Physics Advisory Panel’s Subpanel on Vision for the Future of High-Energy Physics” called for a constant-level-of-effort between FY 1995 and FY 2002. This amount was equivalent to the Administration’s FY 1995 request of $621.9 million. Added to this base amount was $50 million for FY 1996, FY 1997, and FY 1998 (total: $150 million.) Thus, the subpanel recommended a FY 1996 budget of $671.9 million (before inflation.) Since the recommendation was for a constant-level-of-effort, allowance must be made for inflation. Using a calculation based on numbers supplied by the Office of Management and Budget, the FY 1996 high energy physics budget should be approximately $692.1 million to meet the advisory panel’s target.

The bottom line: The FY 1996 high energy physics program budget of $667.0 million is calculated to be 3.6% less than that recommended by the advisory panel.

NUCLEAR PHYSICS RESEARCH:

The DOE Nuclear Physics budget for FY 1996 will be $304.5 million. The administration requested $321.1 million. The budget for FY 1995 was $331.5 million.

In June 1994, the DOE/NSF Nuclear Science Advisory Committee (NSAC) released a report entitled, “Nuclear Science in DOE: Assessment and Promise.” This report was straight-forward in its recommendation for FY 1996 funding of $348 million.

The bottom line: The FY 1996 nuclear physics program budget of $304.5 million is 12.5% less than that recommended by NSAC.

BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES:

The DOE Basic Energy Sciences budget for FY 1996 will be $791.7 million. The administration requested $811.4 million. The budget for FY 1995 was $747.3 million.

There is not a comparable panel recommendation similar to those above. The FY 1996 budget for Basic Energy Sciences will be 2.4% less than that requested by DOE.