I agree with the Sept. 11 Chicago Tribune editorial that the Illinois congressional delegation must work together to bring the superconducting supercollider to Illinois. But I am more optimistic than The Tribune about the improving political atmosphere for the SSC.
When I hosted two special orders in March of this year, more than 40 members of the House of Representatives came out in favor of the SSC. A letter I sent to the Appropriation Committee in July had the signatures of 66 congressmen. The authorization bill for the SSC, introduced in early August, now has about 230 cosponsors, more than half the House.
The Senate is also moving forward on this project. On Sept. 10, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development approved the full $35 million in funding for the SSC for fiscal year 1988. As a member of the Science, Space and Technology Committee, I will be meeting soon with Chairman Robert Roe (D., N.J.) to find out how quickly we can move forward with the House authorization for the SSC.
I agree that ”it would be a shame to become a second-rate player in this vital and basic research area because of a lack of leadership.” But by continuing the organized, responsible efforts of the state and its
congressional delegation, we are helping assure this will not happen.
