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SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER PROGRAM AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S BUDGET FOR FUNDAMENTAL SCIENCE

TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 1990

U.S. SENATE,

SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY Research and Development, COMMITTEE ON ENERGY And Natural RESOURCES, Washington, DC.

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:04 a.m., in room SD-366, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Wendell H. Ford, presiding

OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. WENDELL H. FORD, U.S. SENATOR FROM KENTUCKY

Senator FORD. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Today's hearing on the Superconducting Super Collider and the DOE science budget has become an annual event for the subcommittee. This is a very important part of the Department of Energy's budget.

In these programs the Department is fortifying foundations, foundations for the Nation's scientific and technological expertise and our international competitiveness. The fiscal year of 1991 requests for these programs is $2.3 billion, an increase of 13.6 percent over fiscal year 1990 appropriations.

We are talking about physics, chemistry, material science, mathematics, engineering, geoscience, biological and environmental science, and the major facilities where American science is practiced. DOE's proposed budget provides for broad-based support for science. It provides for growth. It also makes substantial commitments that will require Congress to vote much larger increases in the future.

The largest such commitment is a Superconducting Super Collider project that is getting underway in Texas. The fiscal year 1991 budget request for the SSC is $318 million, an increase of $100 million over last year's appropriations.

When we get into construction on the project, the annual appropriation needed for the SSC alone will be almost $1 billion. It is no secret that some of us are pretty nervous about this project. We are nervous about the commitment of resources involved. It has not made us any less nervous to learn that the total estimated cost of the SSC may increase by as much as $2 billion above the original estimate of $5.9 billion.

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and tow much does my State get of questions 3 people see they can get my more sxe vie m. 7 ta tey are not getting what *****rey teeme their support of the SSC could suffer. You wasto vyzera ould be forgotten. The main motive **A FOR7.

... vme of that in the debate in the House on Undercat. Res 850 asteraasin bill in two words be wartet i roze 7o. *... Caryn your case for the project on its sci

The Scommittee went DOE a long list of questions about this projet inte answered for the record of this hearing. We do not thean te bete in asking pointed questions of DOE These are quana 162, anould be able to answer if it expects to get the money that a being requested.

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee is the authorizing and oversight Committee for the SSC. It is the job of oversight to ask hard questions about cost, about management, and about how the 95C is going to fit into a balanced program of support for basic science. I intend to do the job to the best of my ability.

I am very pleased to have, as I said earlier, the real Chairman of this Committee with us this morning. Senator Johnston, do you have any opening statement?

The prepared statement of Senator Ford follows:]

STATEMENT OF SENATOR WENDELL H. FORD
April 24, 1990

Subcommittee on Energy Research and Development
Hearing on the Superconducting Super Collider

Today's hearing on the superconducting super collider and the DOE science budget has become an annual event for the Subcommittee. This is a very important part of the Department of Energy's budget. In these programs, the Department is "fortifying

foundations" foundations for the nation's scientific and technological expertise and our

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international competitiveness.

The fiscal year 1991 request for these programs is $2.3 billion, an increase of 13.6 percent over the fiscal year 1990 appropriation. We are talking about physics, chemistry, materials science, mathematics, engineering, geoscience, biological and environmental science, and the major facilities where American science is practiced.

DOE's proposed budget provides for broad-based support for science. It provides for growth. It also makes substantial commitments that will require Congress to vote much larger increases in the future.

The largest such commitment is the superconducting super collider project that is getting under way in Texas. The fiscal year 1991 budget request for the SSC is $318 million, an increase of $100 million over last year's appropriation. When we get into construction on this project, the annual appropriation needed for the SSC alone will be almost $1 billion.

It is no secret that some of us are pretty nervous about this project. We are nervous about the commitment of resources involved. It has not made us any less nervous to learn that the total estimated cost of the SSC may increase by $1 billion to $2 billion above the original estimate of $5.9 billion.

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This project is being sold on the basis of two very different messages. One is the scientific merit of the project. We will hear about that from today's witnesses.

The second is the public works aspect. Selling the SSC as a big public works project has risks as well as benefits. You can promise money to Texas and to several other states. I gather that is happening.

However, if this becomes just another big public works project, you could be on dangerous ground. Funding then becomes mainly a question of how much money does your state get and how much does my state get. You face a different set of questions. If people see they can get more money some other way, or that they're not getting what they think they deserve, their support of the SSC could suffer. Your scientific arguments could be forgotten.

The main motive could get to be jealousy. I think you'll see some of that in the debate this week in the House on Congressman Roe's SSC authorization bill.

Be warned.

I hope you will sharpen your case for the project on its scientific merits. The Subcommittee sent DOE a long list of questions about this project to be answered for the Record of this hearing. We do not mean to be hostile in asking pointed questions of DOE. These are questions DOE should be able to answer if it expects to get the money that is being requested.

The Energy and Natural Resources Committee is the authorizing and oversight Committee for the SSC. It is the job of oversight to ask the hard questions about cost,

about management, and about how the SSC is going to fit in to a balanced program of support for basic science.

We intend to do our job.

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