Lawmakers call for new DOE nuclear organization

Lawmakers Tuesday echoed an advisory board's recommendation to reduce the Energy Department's control over nuclear programs.

In a rare joint session of four Senate committees-Armed Services, Energy and Natural Resources, Governmental Affairs and Intelligence-lawmakers criticized DOE managers' lack of commitment to security and said nuclear programs should be controlled by a "semi-autonomous" office at the Energy Department.

"Anything closely resembling a Band-Aid approach or status quo would be a big mistake," said Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn. "I'm convinced something fundamental is going to have to be done."

Under one of the recommendations from the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board, DOE's nuclear programs would be reorganized into a new Agency for Nuclear Stewardship. While the agency would be located within DOE, it would have its own management structure and report to an independent oversight board.

"The nuclear weapons complex needs to be rescued from the Energy Department," said Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala.

Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said he backs 90 percent of the proposals issued by the intelligence advisory board, but he opposes the idea of sectioning off nuclear programs.

"The whole department should report to the Secretary and that should be made very, very clear," Richardson said. "It is very important that we not build a Berlin Wall between our science and our defense and nuclear programs. If not properly drafted, an autonomous agency or semi-autonomous agency would blur the lines of authority between science and weapons."

Former Sen. Warren Rudman, who chairs the intelligence advisory board, said DOE's security structure is "badly broken."

"It's long past time for half measures," Rudman said.

But Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., said nuclear programs offices at DOE have long ignored efforts to improve security at the department and should not be given independence.

"It's not clear to me why giving them more autonomy improves security," Bingaman said.

The Energy Department has taken several steps this year to address security concerns. On Monday, the department said it plans to use lie detector tests to screen 5,000 employees at nuclear weapons laboratories. Richardson last week appointed retired Air Force Gen. Eugene E. Habiger to be DOE's new "security czar."

Sen. Frank H. Murkowski, R-Alaska, said he and other Senators will introduce the intelligence advisory board's recommendations as legislation soon.