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*	U N I V E R S I T Y  F U S I O N  A S S O C I A T I O N
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*	News and Information			Nov 18 2003
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	website:	http://depts.washington.edu/ufa/home.html


CONTENTS:

	1.  FY04 Congressional Appropriation for FES at $264M.
	2.  Sec Abraham announces DOE Facilities Plan,
		ITER at highest priority


// ---------------------------------------------------------------------- //
	1.  Final FY 2004 DOE Office of Science Appropriations Bill
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------- //

House and Senate conferees completed work on the FY 2004 Energy and Water
Development Appropriations Bill.  The Fusion Energy Sciences appropriation
is $264M (see excerpt below).  Going into the conference, the House mark
was at 268M, the Senate mark was at the President's request of 257M.

FUSION ENERGY SCIENCES: "The conference agreement includes
$264,110,000 for fusion energy sciences, an increase of $6,800,000
over the budget request."  This is an increase of  7.0%  or $17.2
million from last year.  The report then states: " The budget
request proposed $12,000,000 for the International Thermonuclear
Experimental Reactor (ITER), but did so by displacing $10,800,000 of
ongoing domestic fusion research. The conference agreement provides
$8,000,000 for ITER activities in fiscal year 2004, and restores
$6,800,000 to domestic fusion research.  The conferees strongly
caution the Department against submitting any future budget requests
for ITER that are funded at the expense of domestic research."



// ---------------------------------------------------------------------- //
	2.  Sec Abraham announces DOE Facilities Plan,
		ITER at highest priority
// ---------------------------------------------------------------------- //


In a speech at the National Press Club last week, DOE Secretary Abraham
announced a plan prioritizing DOE science facilities for the next 20
years.  From 28 facilities listed in the report "Facilities for the Future
of Science:  A Twenty Year Outlook", ITER was the top priority.

The report can be viewed at:

http://www.sc.doe.gov/Sub/Facilities_for_future/20-Year-Outlook-screen.pdf

Accompanying press release:

http://energy.gov/engine/content.do?PUBLIC_ID=14440&BT_CODE=PR_PRESSRELEASES&TT_CODE=PRESSRELEASE