piner@pur-phy.UUCP (Richard Piner) (10/25/86)
Posted: Fri Oct 24, 1986 3:49 PM EDT Msg: IGIG-2399-6924 From: RPARK To: WHATSNEW WHAT'S NEW, Friday, 24 October 1986 Washington, DC 1. TWO NEW STUDIES CRITICAL OF STAR WARS, both released on Wednesday, reach the same conclusion from opposite directions. "Empty Promise: The Case Against Star Wars," issued by the Union of Concerned Scientists, is a rather conventional restatement of the issues, concentrating on the question of technical feasibility from the US perspective. By contrast, "Star Wars: The Soviet Response," by Eric Stubbs, issued by the Council on Economic Priorities, emphasizes the inadequacy of Soviet technology. Unable to respond in kind, Stubbs argues, the Soviets will rely on older--and cheaper--technologies to overwhelm the US system. The release of both studies appears to be timed to exploit the increased media interest in scientific opposition to SDI following the Reykjavik summit. 2. YES, THERE IS FUNDING FOR FY 87 o NSF funding is set at $1.623B, which is only $63M below the asking budget. This is generally thought to be close enough to persuade OMB to support a major increase in the NSF request for FY 88, which is now in preparation (WN 12 Sep 86). The report language protects women and minority programs and the supercomputer centers from internal shifts of funds . o DOE BASIC ENERGY SCIENCES looks better than it is. At $536M, it is $95M above the request. In a rare fit of conscience, Congress added the extra money to pay for all the pork barrel projects they had inserted. It does not change the fact that the money could have been better spent. o DOE MAGNETIC FUSION also got an increase above the administration request, but it is still $20M below last year. The figure is $345.5M, which is $12.5M above asking. o DOE HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS is up to $524.7M, which is $30M above last year's post-Gramm Rudman figure, but still $20M below the request. Before proceeding with R&D for the SSC, the DoE must submit a plan to congress for approval. o DOE NUCLEAR PHYSICS is also up significantly from last year at $216M, but still $8M below the request. The increase is to get started on the CEBAF electron accelerator. o DOE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INSTRUMENTATION remains almost non- existent at $5M. o DOD BASIC RESEARCH SCIENCES programs were cut 6.3% below the request. The total for the three services is $730M. o DOD UNIVERSITY RESEARCH INITIATIVE is down to a mere $35M. Robert L. Park (202) 232-0189 The American Physical Society