[CTRL] Part of Energy Dept. Budget Blocked

[Shane A. Saylor, Eccentric Bard]

 -Caveat Lector-

Thursday July 15 12:31 PM ET

Part of Energy Dept. Budget Blocked
By H. JOSEF HEBERT Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - In another fallout over allegations of Chinese espionage,
a House subcommittee today directed that $1 billion of the Energy
Department's budget be withheld until Congress reorganizes the department's
nuclear weapons programs.

Rep. Ron Packard, R-Calif., chairman of the House Appropriations
subcommittee on energy and water, said reforms to improve nuclear weapons
security were essential before the $1 billion in DOE operating funds will be
reinstated.

The subcommittee action was taken as the panel approved the fiscal 2000
energy and water appropriations bill. The legislation will be considered by
the full House in the coming months.

The Energy Department has a budget of about $18 billion, but most of that
goes to contractors. The $1 billion withheld for DOE operations represents a
large part of the department's direct, noncontractor spending.

The money is to be withheld until Congress restructures the department's
national security programs or establishes an independent agency to oversee
and manage their operations, Packard said.

There has been growing sentiment among lawmakers to create a largely
autonomous agency within the Energy Department responsible for nuclear
weapons programs, including operation of the three nuclear weapons labs and
security.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson has said he is willing to accept in theory
creation of a semiautonomous agency as long as it's clear the energy
secretary has authority over the agency. He also wants security and
counterintelligence functions to be departmentwide and not confined to the
agency.

A largely Republican proposal gaining momentum in the Senate would create a
semiautonomous agency, but insulate it more from the rest of the department
than what Richardson has been willing to accept.

Meanwhile, some Republican members of the House, including Packard, would
prefer to have the nuclear programs taken away from the Energy Department
altogether, and create a totally independent agency.

But House members are divided on the issue.

Seven House committee and subcommittee chairmen wrote a letter to House
Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., this week urging him to oppose any effort to
restructure the Energy Department without further hearings and review.

Reps. Tom Bliley, R-Va., the Commerce Committee chairman, and F. James
Sensenbrenner Jr., R-Wis., the Science Committee chairman, warned against
trying to make ``quick fixes'' at the Energy Department that could harm
science research programs and hinder safety and environmental protection at
the weapons facilities.

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