The following language is contained in the Committee report accompanying the Bill:

"The Committee recommendation for fusion energy sciences is $248,495,000, $6,505,000 less than the fiscal year 2001 funding level but the same as the amended budget request. The Committee concurs with the National Energy Policy's assessment of the potential for fusion energy, but funding constraints prevent additional research funding at this time. The Committee has also provided $25,000,000 in the inertial confinement fusion program for high average power lasers which is complementary to the work performed in fusion energy sciences."

The $25 million referred to in the DOE Defense Programs account is the same as Congress provided last year. In both instances these funds were added by Congress and were not requested by the Administration. The reduction of $6.5 million referred to is an accounting quirk; in fact, the amount approved is essentially identical to this year's level.

The Subcommittee also provided the President's requested level of $245 million for the National Ignition Facility.

The DOE portion of the bill was $18.7 billion, an increase of $444.2 million over FY2001 and about a billion dollars above the President's requested level. The lion's share of the additional funding in the bill goes into DOE defense nuclear programs, including an additional $42 million to address infrastructure issues at the Department's science labs and nuclear weapons complex.

DOE science programs were funded at $3.166 billion, a $6.5 million increase over the President's request but $13.9 million less than FY 01 funding levels. High energy physics, and Advanced Scientific Computing were also funded at the President's requested level while Nuclear Physics, Biological and Environmental research and Basic Energy Sciences were each funded at two to three million above the President's request.

The Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development is expected to mark up in mid-July.