SCHUMER ANNOUNCES FULL FUNDING FOR BROOKHAVEN’S ION COLLIDER & MORE THAN $125M FOR NATIONAL SYNCHROTRON LIGHT SOURCE II INCLUDED IN JUST-UNVEILED OMNIBUS BILL; BNL’S COLLIDER IS ONLY REMAINING ATOM SMASHER IN THE COUNTRY

Schumer Has Long Fought to Secure Increased Federal Funds for BNL– Funding Helps The U.S. Remain On The Forefront of Nuclear Research

Last Year, Budget Included $166M for Ion Collider & $105M for NSLS-II; This Year’s Bill Provides An Increase in Federal Funds

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer announced today that the Energy and Water Appropriations bill for FY2016 includes an increase in federal funding for Brookhaven National Lab’s (BNL) Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC). The omnibus bill directs the Department of Energy to fully fund RHIC operations for the entire 22 week runtime. Last year’s final appropriations bill provided $166.072 million in funding for RHIC.  Additionally, the omnibus bill includes $110 million for the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) and $15.5 million for the light source’s experimental tools. Last year’s final appropriations bill provided $105 million for the NSLS-II and $22.5 million for experimental tools. 

“Securing this funding for Brookhaven National Lab’s ion collider and the National Synchrotron Light Source will keep BNL and our nation at the forefront of innovation and boost Long Island’s economy,” said Senator Schumer. “I am pleased we have secured an increase in federal funding to ensure that Brookhaven National Lab’s ion collider can continue to operate.”

Brookhaven National Lab’s collider currently supports 800 jobs and is the only remaining ion collider of its kind in the country. BNL’s National Synchrotron Light Source is a next-generation X-ray light source scientific user facility that is poised to foster breakthroughs in fields such as advanced materials, biology and medicine, and chemical, geo-, nano-, and environmental science. NSLS II serves over 2400 university, industry, and government-sponsored scientists.

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