Upton lab jobs seen at risk in GOP plan

Budget cuts proposed by House Republicans could mean the loss of more than 900 jobs at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Sen. Charles Schumer and Rep. Tim Bishop warned Wednesday.

In a continuing resolution to fund the federal government past March 4, GOP House leaders have included $2 billion in cuts to two Department of Energy divisions that fund BNL. The GOP bill doesn't specify cuts to the Upton lab. But Bishop (D-Southampton), Schumer (D-N.Y.), along with lab officials, said cuts as large as 30 percent would force the lab to close its National Synchrotron Light Source and Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider machines. As many as 930 positions for scientists and other staff could be lost, the officials said.

"It really underlines just how extreme some of these proposed reductions are," Bishop said. "I don't see how any reasonable person would think that's how to move this nation forward."

BNL is preparing for the possibility of deep cuts, said Doon Gibbs, deputy laboratory director. He said lab officials are monitoring the situation and "certainly hope that the most serious cuts that have been discussed don't become a reality."

Schumer acknowledged that the proposed cuts likely won't pass the Senate, where Democrats hold a 53-47 advantage over the GOP.

"Am I telling you this is likely to happen? No," Schumer said. "Is it distinct enough to contemplate? Yes."

Spokesmen for Reps. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) and Harold Rogers (R-Ky.), the chairmen of the House Budget and Appropriations committees, did not respond to requests for comment.