DOE Funding OK
October 4, 2007

The U.S. Congress has not passed a new budget for the U.S. Department of Energy, but the federal agency’s Oak Ridge facilities should be OK, said U.S. Rep. Zach Wamp, R-3rd District.

Last week, Congress passed a six-week continuing resolution that funds the department at fiscal year 2007 levels through mid-November, Wamp said. Fiscal year 2008 began Monday.

The continued funding means there will be only a minimal impact on DOE’s Oak Ridge operations and the National Nuclear Security Administration, which oversees the Y-12 National Security Complex, Wamp said.

“We have not heard of any significant impacts under the (fiscal year) ’07 levels,” he said. “All of our missions are continuing without too much of an impact.”

Congress has until Nov. 15 to pass an energy and water appropriations bill, said Wamp, who serves on the U.S. House of Representatives’ energy and water subcommittee.

The House has already passed an energy appropriations bill but the U.S. Senate has not, he said.

If the Senate doesn’t pass the bill, it could get rolled into an omnibus appropriations bill that would also fund other departments — possibly around Thanksgiving, Wamp said.

The congressman said the prognosis for local DOE facilities is good.

That should be good news for workers at those facilities.

Workers at the Y-12 National Security Complex were told last month to be prepared for potential “workforce impacts” because of the uncertain budget situation.

Employees at other nuclear-weapons sites had received similar notices, said Steven Wyatt, NNSA public affairs manager at the Y-12 Site Office.