WHILE the Bush administration struggles over a budget for this year,
Congress is paring down some science projects. An agreement reached last
week cut 23 per cent from President Bush鈥檚 request for funding for the superconducting
supercollider. Funds for magnetic fusion were also trimmed by 15 per cent.
This week Congress moves on to its military spending bill. One plan
would increase spending on technology research by agencies of the defence
department by 49 per cent. This would include work on high-definition television
and new materials for the electronics industry.