Learn more :: Article Archives :: New Mexico Senator Promises Fair Los Alamos Competition

New Mexico Senator promises Fair Los Alamos competition
by Roger Snodgrass, October 27, 2004

"Los Alamos' next contract manager will be a consortium that puts forth the best proposal," New Mexico's senior senator said in answer to what he called "a despicable campaign rumor that doesn't deserve the time of day."

Sen. Pete Domenici, R-NM, said an employee at Los Alamos National Laboratory had raised the question again during an all-employee assembly Monday.

The question was, "If Bush wins, does that mean a win for UT (University of Texas)?" he said, adding, "I needed the podium to hold me back."

A campaign rumor that circulated last week prompted Domenici to issue a press release while he was traveling in Farmington with Vice President Richard Cheney.

"These rumors have no basis in fact and are merely a political attempt to sway voters," he said in the statement.

"This (the competition) will not be done through politics," he continued Monday. "This will be done through real bona fide credentials."

Domenici also responded to statements made on Thursday by his Democratic colleague, Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-NM, who told the press that he thought a Kerry administration would pursue a broader set of challenges through the national labs, including more non-weapons work.

Domenici, like Bingaman, praised the labs three E.O. Lawrence Award winners, Bette Korber, Fred Mortensen and Gregory Swift, making the additional point that two out of three of the winners were in non-weapons work. Three out of seven winners of the $50,000 prize, awarded by the Department of Labor at the end of September, were from Los Alamos.

Korber was recognized for her HIV research and Swift for his thermo-acoustic theories and engineering. Mortensen won for his work in nuclear weapon design and certification.

Domenici warned those who thought non-weapons projects could grow quickly at LANL will have a tough job convincing Congress.

They're not interested in adding new areas of research, Domenici said, although he saw the possibility to build on existing strengths.

Domenici used his new book, "A Brighter Tomorrow: Fulfilling the Promise of Nuclear Energy," as an all-purpose prop during his talk and later during a press conference.

The first reference to Los Alamos in the book occurs in the first few pages. Domenici recalls summer vacations in the Jemez Mountains during the 1940s. That's when he first glimpsed the secret city.

"Father used to tell us," wrote Domenici, "'Big things are happening up there in Los Alamos.'"

"Big things in Los Alamos," was a central subject of his talk and, at least to some extent, of his career as a New Mexico senator.

Pushing his book in a light-hearted way, Domenici displayed the salesmanship that has made him such a reliable patron of his constituency.

As lab Director G. Peter Nanos suggested in introducing Domenici, one only has to look around at the new buildings going up around the laboratory to see examples of Domenici's support.

Later, in a press conference, Domenici called attention to the 20-year development plan as one of the "pretty dramatic," things that have happened "at Los Alamos under this President for this lab."

Mentioning the massive construction project, a multibillion-dollar investment in rebuilding and replacing half-century-old dilapidated buildings, was a plug for President Bush, but it was also part of Domenici's theme of permanence and growth at LANL.

His purpose, he said was "to assure the scientists and other employees of this great institution that they are still a great laboratory, if not the greatest the U.S. has."

Domenici, who is chairman of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, blamed a dispute over Yucca Mountain for the delay in passing the energy and water bill.

"There is a real possibility that a continuing resolution will be in place for the entire year," he said.

Because of disagreements with the House, he said, "We might never go to conference. Who knows?"

Originally Published by the LA Monitor

Learn more :: Article Archives :: New Mexico Senator Promises Fair Los Alamos Competition