House Appropriators Draft DOE and USGS Bills
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY:
On June 19 the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development drafted the FY 2002 spending bill, containing funding for the DOE Office of Science. The full committee will take up the bill in the near future, after which it will go to the House floor. The Senate bill is still be drafted. Here are the House numbers:
The overall Department of Energy section of the bill totals $18.7 billion. This is an increase of $444.2 million over FY 2001.
DOE science programs would receive $3.166 billion. This is a decrease of $13.9 million from FY 2001. The Bush Administration request was $3.160 billion.
The High Energy Physics program would receive $716.1 million. This is an increase of $4.1 million over FY 2001. The Administration request was $716.1 million.
The Nuclear Physics program would receive $361.5 million. This is an increase of $1.0 million over this year. The Administration request was $360.5 million.
The Basic Energy Sciences program would receive $1.0 billion. This is an increase of $8.3 million over this year. The Administration request was $1,004.7 million.
The Fusion Energy Sciences program would receive $248.5 million. This is level funding, and was the administration request.
Renewable energy programs would receive $376.8 million. This is an increase of $1.0 million over this year. The Administration request was $276.6 million.
The committee’s release states:
“The Committee provided a total of $42 million to improve the deteriorating facilities and infrastructure at the Department’s science laboratories and nuclear weapons complex and to reduce the inventory of excess facilities currently being maintained in minimal safe conditions due to lack of funding to demolish them. The President’s budget had requested no funding for these activities. This is in addition to the $30 million recommended in the fiscal year 2001 supplemental appropriations bill for facilities and infrastructure improvements.”
Last week the House Appropriations Committee completed work on the Interior Appropriations Bill. Details are not yet available. The bill has not gone to the House floor, and the Senate bill has not been released. The committee release states: “The U.S. Geological Survey is funded at $900 million restoring a $90 million cut in the President’s request and providing $18 million increase over FY01.”The current year budget is $882.8 million.
Language from the committee reports on DOE and USGS will be provided when made available.
