The U.S. House of Representatives’ Committee on Energy
and Commerce’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations
held a hearing yesterday regarding the University of California’s
management of Los Alamos National Laboratory. The hearing focused
on the Secretary of Energy’s decision to continue UC’s
management of Los Alamos through the end of the current contract
and then to open the contract up to competition.
UC President Richard Atkinson, Senior Vice President Bruce
Darling, Vice President for Financial Management Anne Broome,
and Auditor Patrick Reed testified. President Atkinson told
the committee that the University of California takes full
responsibility for the business and management problems at
Los Alamos and that the University remains committed to strengthening
financial controls and to restoring the American public’s
confidence in Los Alamos. Atkinson also touted the tremendous
scientific and technological contributions of the labs, saying:
“Building on the legacies of Ernest Lawrence and Robert
Oppenheimer, Los Alamos and Livermore have moved front-and-center
in the effort to bolster homeland security, especially in
the areas of counter-terrorism, non-proliferation, and prevention
and preparedness for nuclear, biological, and chemical attacks.
These labs continue as the nation’s leader in findings
ways to use the most advanced scientific and computational
assets to simulate nuclear testing and to ensure the continued
viability of our nuclear weapons stockpile. We must never
lose sight of those critical contributions to the nation’s
security.”
During his testimony, Atkinson also addressed the issue of
competition, saying that while it was his instinct to compete,
this is a decision that the UC Board of Regents would have
to address in the coming months. Atkinson’s testimony,
which is available
on-line, outlined many of the questions that he believes
would need to be addressed as the University looks toward
making a decision regarding Los Alamos. Atkinson expressed
to the Committee his desire that the University would be judged
on its 60-year record of accomplishment and not its ability
to “put together a $25 million proposal.”
Also testifying at the hearing were Deputy Undersecretary
of Energy Kyle McSlarrow and Acting NNSA Administrator Linton
Brooks. They highlighted the scientific contributions of Los
Alamos and the valuable relationship between the Laboratory
and the University. During his testimony, Ambassador Brooks
said that he and Deputy Undersecretary McSlarrow recommended
that DOE ensure “that the pension benefits of current
Los Alamos employees are fully protected. Failing to do this
could lead to a significant challenge to morale and, potentially,
a devastating exodus of the most experienced employees.”
Administrator Brooks read from the report that Undersecretary
McSlarrow and he submitted to the Secretary of Energy, saying:
“We believe it is important to recognize that the overwhelming
majority of Los Alamos employees -- in all areas, including
business services -- are honest, dedicated, competent, and
hard-working. Ultimately, the value of the laboratory lies
not in expensive technology, but in people. The failures at
Los Alamos are real, but they are the failures of a few.”
