piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (03/17/86)
Posted: Fri Mar 14, 1986 4:51 PM EST Msg: KGIG-2208-2778
From: RPARK
To: WHATSNEW
Subj: What's new, 14 March 1986 Washington, DC
1. THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE of the Department of
Defense is threatened by political pork-barrelling, according
to Ronald Kerber, the new Deputy Under Secretary for Research
and Technology (WN 3 Jan 86), in testimony this week before
the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Research and
Development. The URI was intended to support research and
education in disciplines critical to defense. In a forceful
defense of merit-based awards, however, Kerber complained
that earmarking of funds by the Appropriations Committee had
politicized the process. Rep. Robert Davis (R-MI) declared
that the Armed Services Committee should try to undo what had
been done and insert language to prevent future abuses. It
was the Armed Services Committee that proded the DoD to
create URI, and when the reluctant generals asked for only
$25M, Armed Services insisted on raising it to $100M. This
presented an irresistible target to such pork-barrell artists
as Sen. Alfonse D'Amato (R-NY), (WN 3 Jan 86).
2. THE COLD NEUTRON FACILITY proposed for the National
Bureau of Standards is in trouble again. The cold neutrons
are already there, produced by the 20-megawatt reactor at
NBS, but guidehalls and instrumentation are needed to exploit
them. This was the highest priority materials facilities
upgrade in the 1984 report of the Seitz-Eastman panel (WN 3
Aug 84). At $10M it is a bargain compared to the $150M spent
on such facilities in Europe, to which US researchers must
now travel, and the $50M the Japanese are spending to get
their own source. Everyone agrees with the need, but from
there on its politics. Each year the Administration request
includes funds for the cold neutron facility but eliminates
the fire and buildings research programs at the Bureau, which
are much beloved by Congress. And each year Congress puts
fire and buildings back in and kills neutrons in retaliation.
Staff members of the House Science and Technology Committee
sigh that the same thing seems likely to happen again. As
Yogi Berra said, "It's deja vu all over again."
3. THE STRATIGIC DEFENSE INITIATIVE needs a research
organization along the lines of the Rand Corporation
according to SDI head Gen. Abrahamson. The purpose would be
to provide "squeaky-clean" advice free of commercial taint.
The Rand Corporation provides advice to the Air Force--and we
know how much that has helped.
Notice to users: Because of space limitations in What's New,
we often refer to earlier issues to provide background. We
urge you to keep a file of back issues for this purpose. If
you need further background on items, feel free to call us.
Robert L. Park (202) 429-1946
American Physical Society THAT'S ALL 3/14/86