President Seligman issued the following statement in response to the fiscal year 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill released by the House of Representatives Appropriations Committee on Dec. 9. The House of Representatives is planning to vote as early as Thursday on the measure, which would then go to the Senate. Current government funding runs out on Dec. 11.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and Representatives Slaughter, Reed and Collins for securing $68 million for the Laboratory for Laser Energetics in the FY 2015 Omnibus Appropriations bill. This funding supports the Laboratory’s mission and partnerships with the U.S. Department of Energy, the national laboratories, and the other research institutions across the country. Thanks to this support, this Laboratory builds on a history of innovation that provides a singular environment within a technologically sophisticated scientific community that is internationally recognized, is a vital component to our national and economic security, and enables us to be at the forefront of efforts to explore nuclear fusion as a source of clean energy for the future. With around 1000 individuals involved in the Laboratory’s programs, continued investment in the Laboratory for Laser Energetics preserves its status as a unique national resource for research and education in science and technology and a major driver of New York’s high-tech economy.”
