[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 65 (Friday, April 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E861-E862]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                        DOWNSIZING THE DOE LABS

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                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                          Friday, April 7, 1995
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, I am introducing legislation today to 
continue my efforts to downsize our Government in a commonsense manner.
  This legislation will require the non-defense DOE labs to downsize 
the level of full-time employees by one-third over a period of 10 
years, with the half of these reductions occurring in the first 5 
years.
  The result will be either that each lab accomplishes its current 
mission more efficiently, or it will narrow its focus to more closely 
meet its original mission. I believe this is a significant step in the 
right direction.
  This bill requires the DOE lab structure to terminate research and 
facilities that duplicate work being done in the private sector, to 
cease activity that is not relevant to its programmatic objectives, and 
to use, whenever feasible universities or other private sector 
facilities to complete its objectives.
  The bill allows, but does not require, closing or scaling back of 
labs to meet these objectives. The bill also requires fundamental 
changes in how the DOE labs follow health and safety regulations.
  [[Page E862]] Currently, the DOE labels are required to follow 
Federal, State and local environmental regulations. The bill does not 
change this. However, DOE currently uses an intricate and cumbersome 
internal system of regulation to meet these requirements. The bill 
requires termination of this practice, known as ``self-regulation.'' 
Instead, the Labs will follow such requirements directly, as any 
business would do. This will eliminate a large bureaucratic layer of 
the DOE, and should result in downsizing of a sector of the DOE 
Washington headquarters.
  The bill also contains requirements that the Secretary report on the 
progress of implementing this legislation to Congress. I have stated 
before that we need to downsize Government with a scalpel and not a 
hatchet, and I believe this bill represents the right approach.


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