The Nation : Atom Smasher Clears Funding Hurdle

Federal financing of a mammoth superconducting supercollider cleared the last major hurdle, paving the way for the start of construction on the proposed experimental atom smasher, possibly as early as October. With virtually no debate, a House-Senate conference committee voted to go along with a Senate proposal to appropriate $225 million for the first installment of the project, rather than the $200 million that the House had approved. The measure now goes back to the respective houses, which are expected to endorse the conference committee compromise without significant opposition. President Bush, a strong backer of the project, has said he plans to sign the bill. The action effectively ends any uncertainty that might have clouded prospects for attracting private financing for the $4.4-billion to $6.3-billion project.