WHAT'S NEW, Friday, 24 February 1989 Washington, DC
1.
A "DRUG-FREE WORKFORCE" IN A "DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE?"
The Drug-Free Workplace Act will apply to all institutions awarded federal
grants or contracts after 18 Mar 89. It requires the institution
to implement a drug-abuse policy and a drug awareness program.
The institution must also deal with employees convicted of drug-related
offenses--but only if the offense was work-related. By
contrast, the DOD aims at cleaning up the workforce itself, by
prohibiting drug use "on or off duty," and mandating drug testing
for employees in "sensitive" positions. Any employee who tests
positive must be removed. The DOD Rule, which has been in effect
since 18 Oct 88, applies to any grant or contract that, in the
view of the DOD, involves national security or health and safety.
2
. THERE IS CONFUSION OVER THE PROJECTED TOTAL COST OF THE SSC.
The DOE has been using $4.4B, but the President's budget document
sets it at $5.9B. Sen. Gramm (D-TX) attempted to explain that
$4.4B is the federal share, with the remainder coming from state
and foreign sources. Yesterday, however, the DOE released its
long-awaited detailed response to the Congressional Budget Office
report on the SSC (WN 25 Nov 88).
It states that: "The $4.4B cost
estimate for the SSC does not assume any cost sharing. State and
foreign contributions will reduce the federal cost."
3. CONGRESSIONAL HEARINGS THIS WEEK ON THE SUPERCOLLIDER
dealt in
large part with the question of "new money." Sen. Gramm (D-TX),
author of the Gramm-Rudman Deficit Reduction Act and a strong SSC
advocate, was asked by Sen. Conrad (D-ND), a feisty first term
senator, if he would be willing to support new revenue measures
to pay for the SSC. Sen. Gramm repeated his absolute opposition
to any new taxes, but insisted that in the $1.16 trillion FY 90
budget, $250 million could be found. Sen. Ford (D-KY), Chairman
of the Energy Research Subcommittee, asked Robert Hunter, the DOE
Director of Research, if the President would be willing to sign a
deficit budget to pay for the SSC. Hunter declined to answer.
4. IN THE "THINGS COULD BE WORSE" CATEGORY:
Facing a budget
crisis far more serious than ours, President Jose Sarney of
Brazil vetoed the 1989 budget for science and technology research
and abolished the Ministry of Science and Technology. Faculty
in state universities are paid through the Ministry of Education,
but research staff are being paid from rapidly dwindling residual
funds. In desperation, Brazilian scientists are appealing to
foreign scientific organizations for expressions of support.
5. ASSESS TO FOREIGN FACULTY FOR U.S. COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
is impeded by delays in the immigration system, which can be a
full year. The Association of American Universities has proposed
creation of a "temporary educational worker category" to allow a
foreign national, selected in an open search, to enter the United
States on a temporary visa to assume a tenure-track position.
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