TESTIMONY OF CONGRESSMAN JOE BARTON TEXAS, SIXTH DISTRICT BEFORE SENATE ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES SUBCOMMITTEE ON ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT HEARING ON ENERGY DEPARTMENT'S SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER PROGRAM APRIL 24, 1990 10:00 A.M., 366 DIRKSEN "SUPERCONDUCTING SUPER COLLIDER (SSC): A NATIONAL PROJECT" Mr. Chairman, Members of the Subcommittee, good morning and thank you for giving me the opportunity to testify before you today in favor of an outstanding investment in our future, the Superconducting Super Collider (SSC). As you may know, the Super Collider will allow the United States to pursue excellent basic scientific research fundamental to the understanding of the universe. This basic research should result in new technologies, new advances in medicine, and increased economic growth. Recently, the House Science and Technology Committee passed, H.R. 4380, a bill permanently authorizing appropriations for the SSC. The vote was 32-9. The bill, sponsored by the Chairman of the Committee, Robert Roe, includes a Federal spending cap of $5 billion for research, design, and construction of the SSC. Mr. Chairman, I know you and your Subcommittee have concerns about the SSC cost estimates. higher cost estimate that the $5.9 billion figure that has been associated with the 1986 project design. This does not, in any way, mean a cost overrun. It will simply be the first true cost estimate for the project as it is proposed to be built. About half of the expected increase is due to design changes made necessary by the incorporation of technical information about the operations of accelerators that was not available at the time the conceptual design was prepared. The other half of the expected increase comes from revising the technical and economic assumptions that were used in the earlier estimate to provide a greater degree of accuracy. The revised cost estimate for the project is expected between $7.2 and $8.0 billion. The funding request is for $318 million with $129 million for construction. We spend approximately $2 million a minute at the Federal level. So, if we fund the SSC at $318 million, we are funding at the rate of just two hours of the Federal budget. This is a small price to pay for a project that is as important as the SSC. Since the emergence of high energy physics as a separate field of research, the United States has led the world. However, I am concerned about losing our preeminence in high energy physics to Europe. The Center for European Research-Nuclear (CERN) has just begun operating an electron collider, and in the next few years will be operating a proton collider. By building the SSC, the United States will maintain its leading position in this crucial field of basic research. Understanding the nature of the world around us will provide research advances of literally cosmic proportions. Funding the Super Collider allows the United States to remain in the forefront of basic science technology for many years to come. Since 1975, American scientists have won half of all Nobel Prizes in physics; however, Europeans have won the last eight. This is a clear indication we are losing our leadership position in high energy physics. If we ultimately lose our leadership position in high energy physics, we will lose our leading edge in world economics. Many exciting developments are happening with regard to the SSC. The Second Annual International Symposium on the SSC was recently held in Miami, Florida with over 700 attendees. They came from over 35 states and 12 foreign countries. Industry groups and universities from almost every state in the union were also there. At this conference Deputy Secretary Henson Moore released the footprint for the final ring location and asked Texas National Research Laboratory Commission (TNRLC), Chairman Mort Myerson, "to start buying the land." A detailed study has been carried out to give an accurate picture of the underground structure at the site and that, in turn, has enabled us to determine the optimum placement of the collider ring, or "footprint." The U.S. Department of Labor has also released the results of the Davis-Bacon wage survey establishing the prevailing wage rates to be paid in building construction jobs for the SSC site. More than 6,000 contractors and subcontractors were invited to participate in the wage survey, encompassing over 3,000 building projects. The Department of Labor collected wage payment data from several thousand contractors and subcontractors representing 17,588 workers in 81 crafts. Also, The American Physical Society, recently passed a resolution by the Executive Committee of The Division of Particles and Fields in support of the SSC. In summary, the Resolution states that the SSC will be a world class scientific laboratory and will deepen our understanding of the basic laws of nature. The Executive Committee also strongly supports the President's budget request for FY '91 of $318 million, and finally, the Resolution states that the Society supports the passage of H.R. 4380, the SSC authorization bill, and the expeditious construction of the SSC. Although the exact applications which will flow from the construction and operation of the SSC cannot be predicted with absolute certainty, past investments in basic research have been repaid 100 times over. The United States has always been a nation that looks towards the future; whether technically in this century, or whether geographically in the 1800's westward expansion, or whether in our democracy with expansion of freedom around the world. To quote a Nobel Prize winner from the University of Chicago, James W. Cronin: "The spirit of a nation and the pride of its people can only be enhanced when science, including the exploration of our planet, solar system, galaxy, and universe is among its highest priorities." The SSC should be amongst our highest priorities. I urge this Subcommittee to fully support this essential project. Thank you again, Mr. Chairman for the opportunity to be here today. Senator FORD. Thank you very much, Congressman. It is normally as a courtesy we do not ask questions, but I am going to break that courtesy this morning, if I may, with you. Mr. BARTON. Yes, sir. Senator FORD. In order to get a couple of points on the record, they will not be tough questions. Mr. BARTON. Remember I am an Aggie, now. So, you pointed that out. Senator FORD. I understand, but you have not been kicked by a Kentucky mule yet. [Laughter.] I understand that in some quarters there is concern about Texas contribution to the project. Let me ask you this question, is Texas offering $1 billion plus the necessary land? Or is the value of the land part of the $1 billion? Can you clarify that for us? Mr. BARTON. I would be very happy to, Mr. Chairman. As you know, when the six states were in the competition to be selected as the site of the SSC, part of the proposal was that every state had to provide the land free of charge to the Department of Energy-every State. And every State made that promise. One state on top of that promised more-Texas promised the land plus $1 billion. Now, I would point out that when Texas was designated as the site in November 1988, the plan at that time was to begin land acquisition in April 1989. The original land acquisition plan was supposed to be completed this month. Because of a lot of very relevant reasons, land acquisition is not going to actually begin until May or June of this year. But in spite of that delay the State of Texas said, we will furnish the land free of charge, and we will also provide an additional $1 billion. You know, Texas has always honored its commitments. It will honor that commitment. Senator FORD. When will Texas enter into a written arrangement with DOE to govern this contribution? Mr. BARTON. Mr. Chairman, I am not technically qualified to answer that question. I am sure Dr. Decker, or Dr. Schwitters could do so. I do know they are having consultations right now. And it is my understanding that those negotiations will result in some sort of a formal agreement later this summer. Senator FORD. Are you confident that the management structure can keep the project under control? Mr. BARTON. To be honest, Mr. Chairman, in the past year-and-ahalf, I have had some concerns about that. I have spoken with Secretary Watkins, Deputy Secretary Henson Moore, Dr. Schwitters, the head of the laboratory, and Dr. Allan Bromley, the President's scientific advisor, about some of those issues. I have great confidence in the personnel that are in place. I think some of the terms of the authorization bill that is under consideration in the House should alleviate some of those problems. The Department of Energy and University Research Associates have come a long way in the last year to put in place a good management system. Senator FORD. Did I understand that you think Congressman Roe's bill will be passed by the House? Mr. BARTON. Yes, sir. Senator FORD. And that will set a cap of $5 billion? |