Friday, 24 May 1991 Washington, DC
1. HOUSE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE KILLS FERMILAB INJECTOR
UPGRADE
and cuts $100M from the Supercollider! High-energy
physics is feeling the effects of last fall's budget agreement.
The House Appropriations Committee upheld a subcommittee
recommendation to kill the Fermilab upgrade rather than make
still deeper cuts in the SSC. Many high-energy physicists
believe the upgrade is the best hope of finding the elusive top
quark. But quark hunting did not enter into the debate--it was
Illinois versus Texas. The trouble began in January when OMB
Director Richard Darman cut the injector upgrade out of the
asking budget. House Minority Leader Bob Michel (R-IL), still
smoldering over the loss of the SSC to Texas, went straight to
President Bush--and got it reinstated (WN 11 Jan 91).
But this time, the Illinois delegation lost in a
move to take $43M from the SSC to fund the Fermilab injector
upgrade. The Texas delegation argued that further Supercollider
cuts could scare off potential foreign participants--if there are
any.
2. WHAT WOULD CANCELLATION OF THE SPACE STATION COST YOUR
STATE?
No more c--p about "America's destiny." NASA is now
explaining what is really at stake. A map of the United States
was sent to the Texas Congressional delegation this week bearing
the title BUSINESSES GETTING BUCK$. On each state was a number
indicating how many businesses had space station contracts. More
than half of all the businesses were in the state of Texas alone!
If anyone missed the point, large type at the bottom said, "Space
Station dollars are spent on the ground!" So too are NSF
dollars. Some of the other state delegations may be interested
to learn who is getting the bucks--and who is just getting the
business. Last week's vote by a House subcommittee to terminate
Space Station Freedom is expected to survive fights in the full
Appropriations Committee and on the floor. But yesterday,
Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), Chair of the Senate HUD/VA/IA
Subcommittee, and Jake Garn (R-UT), the ranking minority member,
met with President Bush and NASA Administrator Truly to map
strategy to restore the station in the Senate. They weren't
helped by new shuttle revelations.
3. OMB PROPOSES 26% CAP ON REIMBURSEMENT OF ADMINISTRATIVE
COSTS
of university research. Without waiting for Congress
(WN 26 Apr 91), the Office of
Management and Budget announced that Circular A-21, Cost
Principles for Educational Institutions, will be amended to limit
administrative overhead charges. The 26% rate is slightly below
the national average, but well below the figure charged by many
private institutions. Administrators warn that universities will
be hurt by the changes, but the immediate effect will be to free
more funds for research. The proposed revision has been
published in the Federal Register and the dead-line for comments
is 14 June 91. New rules governing allowable charges had been
announced by OMB a month earlier (country club memberships are
out). Both announcements are fallout from the overhead bomb that
exploded at Stanford earlier this year.
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