* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *
|
*       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
|
*       News and Information                    Feb 24 2004
|
* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *
        website:        http://depts.washington.edu/ufa/home.html


CONTENTS:

        1.  The 05 Budget
        2.  Fusion Day on March 18th


// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        1.  The 05 Budget
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------

The President's proposed FES budget for '05 is $264M, flat from the '04
appropriation.  $7M of this is for direct ITER funding, and $31M more,
in resources from the existing program, will support preparation for US
ITER tasks.  For further detail, see email from Mark Haynes, attached.



// ----------------------------------------------------------------------
        2.  Fusion Day on March 18th
// ----------------------------------------------------------------------

The Washington Fusion Day this year will take place on March 18,
immediately following the OFES budget planning meeting on March 16-17.
Details can be found in Mark Haynes' email below.

As every year, please try to meet with your representatives on the Hill on
Fusion Day.  This year our presence on the Hill will be especially
important in light of the changes anticipated in the fusion program.  In
the 04 budget deliberations, many of us had interactions with staffers on
the Hill where we emphasised the crucial role played by the domestic
program and why an ITER initiative would have to be done in an augmented
budget to maintain an optimal scientific strategy.  A consistent
reiteration of this message will be important this year and next year.
We will be sending out a one-pager closer to the date with suggested
talking points.


Attachment:  Mark Haynes' email
===============================
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2004 15:35:29 -0500
From: Mark Haynes 
To: list
Subject: FY05 Fusion Budget / Washington Fusion Day



This memo discusses the following:
	1. The President's proposed FY05 budget for fusion
	2. The Washington Fusion Day scheduled for March 18th

PRESIDENT'S PROPOSED FY05 BUDGET FOR FUSION

As most are aware by now, yesterday, the Administration released its
proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2005.   The overall recommended
number for the Office of Fusion Energy Science in FY05 is
$264,110,000.  This is a 0.6% increase over this year's actual budget
of $262,555,000.   More detailed numbers and analysis are contained
in the attached "Sciencec.pdf" beginning on page 63.

For inertial fusion, the total recommended number for FY05 is
$492,034,000 compared to the FY04 appropriated number of
$514,251,000.  The detailed analysis of the ICF budget begins on page
31 of the attached file labeled "Camp.pdf".

It is very important to realize that due to the huge budget deficit
and the upcoming Presidential and Congressional elections, there will
be substantial inertia in the system with regard to increasing
funding levels for specific programs.  Therefore, improving the
numbers for OFES will be difficult (but not impossible!) even given
the high profile of the ITER project.

Further, Congressional action on the budget and appropriations bills
may be be rapid this year as there will be a drive to adjourn this
session of Congress early due to the Presidential and Congressional
elections in November.

Therefore, we will need to be very active and focused this year to
improve the FY05 budget through the Congressional process.  In this
regard, we will send you a one-pager and suggested talking points
within the next couple weeks to help your discussions with
Congressional offices.   This leads to the next subject....

MARCH 18TH WASHINGTON FUSION DAY

Please make your plans to participate in this year's March 18th
Washington Fusion Day.   This date was chosen because it falls on the
heels of the March 16 - 17 OFES budget meetings.  Our hope is that
people aleady in town for those meetings will stay an extra day and
participate Washington Fusion Day on the 18th.

This day is extremely important to elevating knowledge of fusion
research on Capitol Hill.

As in the past:
  - - The day will begin with a breakfast at the Tortilla Coast
restaurant on Capitol Hill with invited guests (staff and Members)
from Congress.

  - - You will then fan out on the Hill to conduct pre-scheduled
meetings  with Congressional Members and/or staff (if you need help
scheduling meetings, please contact any of us) (Californians please
note: your meeting schedule will be coordinated and done for you - -
you need only show up);

  - - There will be an informal lunch gathering in the Longworth
Cafeteria (come if you can) between meetings; and

  - - The day will will conclude with a Fusion Day reception for
Members of Congress and staff in a House Science Committee hearing
room beginning about 5:00 p.m. or so.

We will send out more details as the day approaches.  Meanwhile,
please let us know if you are attending and if you have any
questions.  Please realize that your participation in this day is
extremely important.

Thank you.

Kate Bannan (U of California) (202) 974-6311
Chris Carter (Princeton U) (202) 639-8420
Mark Haynes (GA) (202) 496-8209
Jason Van Wey (MIT) (202) 789-1828






Mark Haynes
Vice President, Energy Development
Vice President, Washington Operations
General Atomics
1899 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W.
Suite 300
Washington, DC  20006
202-496-8209
202-659-1110 (fax)
haynes@ga.com