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.

Few details of the Senate-passed bill are available yet. Below, 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.

GENERAL SCIENCE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES: This account provides funding for High Energy and Nuclear Physics. The Senate Appropriations Committee recommended $971.0 million for the total account [House recommendation: $991.0 million; Request: $1,017.5 million; FY95 funding: $984.0 million.]

For High Energy Physics, the Committee recommended $657.0 million [House recommendation: $677.0 million; Request: $685.6 million; FY95 funding: $642.1 million.] For Nuclear Physics, the Committee recommended $304.5 million, equal to the House allowance [Request: $321.1 million; FY95 funding: $331.5 million.] Program Direction would receive $9.5 million, equal to the House allowance [Request: $10.9 million; FY95 funding: $10.4 million.]

The report states, in part, “The Committee’s funding recommendation for general science and research activities reflects the continued role of the Federal Government in fundamental scientific research where research is not market driven and is difficult for the private sector to conduct. The Committee strongly supports the budget request for the scientific facilities utilization initiative to enhance and increase the use of fundamental science and user facilities, but due to severe funding constraints, has found it necessary to reduce the overall budget request. It is the Committee’s hope that congressional actions such as merging operating and capital funding along with a lessening of departmental internal regulations and oversight reviews will compensate in part for this reduction.”

In addition, the Appropriations Committee report provided the following views on management of the national laboratories, and restructuring of the Department:

LABORATORY MANAGEMENT: “The Committee concurs with the insights of the Galvin task force regarding the management of Department laboratories, and expresses its frustration with the Department’s lack of progress in either implementing the far-reaching solutions proposed by the Galvin report or proposing alternative solutions to the inefficient and oppressive oversight and regulation endured by the laboratories. The Department’s inability to make meaningful reforms in these areas has resulted in increased cost and reduced productivity at the national laboratories that, if allowed to continue, could jeopardize the laboratories’ ability to fulfill their missions.

“The Committee is encouraged by DOE’s ongoing consideration of moving to outside regulation of the laboratories and strongly endorses any approach that removes the duplication of oversight that currently exists between DOE and outside regulators.”

DEPARTMENTAL RESTRUCTURING: “The Committee is aware of the Secretary of Energy’s efforts to restructure operations enabling the Department to deliver its core critical missions to the Nation at a lower cost to the taxpayer. Reducing Federal costs through downsizing and management will help the Department maintain its essential defense, research, energy security, and environmental cleanup activities vital to the Nation’s security. The Department has announced a comprehensive plan to achieve $14,000,000,000 in savings over the next 5 years.... The Committee is pleased that the Department is taking these steps to downsize and increase the efficiency of its operations. The Committee emphasizes, however, that the very survival of the Department may depend upon the success of its efforts. The Committee urges the Department to attain its goals in this regard, and to continue to seek ways to further streamline its operations.”