Congress Beefs Up Anti-Spy Budget for Nuclear Labs

Angered by allegations of Chinese spying, Senate and House negotiators more than doubled the amount to be spent on counterintelligence next year at the nation’s nuclear weapon laboratories.

A House-Senate conference committee set aside $39 million for operations against spying in the fiscal year beginning Friday, compared with $19 million in the current budget year.

In all, the $21.3-billion Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill sets aside more than $4.4 billion for the Department of Energy to operate the three laboratories, Sen. Pete V. Domenici (R-N.M.) said Saturday. That is an increase of $102.2 million.

“This has been a very difficult year for DOE and our national laboratories, but these hardships should serve as a clarion call to reform and move away from a complacency that has compromised our national security,” said Domenici, chairman of the Senate Appropriations energy subcommittee.

On Thursday, Atty. Gen. Janet Reno said the Justice Department and FBI are expanding an almost 4-year-old investigation into alleged theft of weapon secrets by Chinese agents.

So far, the investigation into alleged Chinese theft of secrets involving one of the most advanced U.S. nuclear warheads has centered on Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico.

A Los Alamos employee, Wen Ho Lee, was suspected for years and fired in March, although the government admits it lacks evidence to charge him. China has denied stealing U.S. nuclear secrets.