DOE budget energizes security

Fiscal 2002 budget

Security issues are the main focus in the Energy Department's fiscal 2002 budget requests, with $7.2 billion of DOE's overall $19.2 billion proposal related to the issue.

Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham outlined the department's proposed budget Monday in Washington, D.C. He said the DOE is requesting an 11 percent increase in funding for the Office of Safeguards and Security, which concentrates on nuclear material control, security investigations and counterintelligence. DOE also is asking for a 43 percent increase for cybersecurity to protect national security information and research stemming from the science programs.

DOE's science and technology request of $3.2 billion is a mere 0.1 percent increase over the fiscal 2001 number, but it does include:

$19.5 million to support the next phase of the Human Genome Program. $443 million for biological and environmental research. Nearly $166 million for the Advanced Scientific Computing Research Program, which supports research in mathematical, information and computational sciences. The proposed budget also includes $20 million for a new Corporate Management Information Program, which is pegged to integrate DOE's information management resources and initiatives.