Funding of NM’s labs debated

PETE DOMENICI AND JEFF BINGAMAN URGED DEMOCRATIC SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID TO KEEP FUNDING LOS ALAMOS AND SANDIA NATIONAL LABS IN FULL UNTIL A FINAL BUDGET IS HAMMERED OUT THEY RE WORRIED ABOUT ALMOST 400- MILLION DOLLARS IN PROPOSED CUTS FOR THE NATION S NUCLEAR WEAPONS LABS THAT S WHY DOZENS OF PEOPLE SHOWED UP FOR A RALLY IN SANTA FE TODAY — SOME OF THEM WERE PROTESTING THE CUTS — OTHERS WERE PROTESTING THE LABS RAY SEVA WAS THERE GETTING ALL SIDES OF THE STORY IT WAS BILLED AS A SAVE OUR SCIENCE RALLY BECAUSE SCIENCE IS WHAT BUSINESS IS ALL ABOUT AT THE LOS ALAMOS NUCLEAR LAB THE HOUSE WANTS TO CUT UP TO 350- MILLION DOLLARS FROM THE LAB S OPERATING BUDGET — COSTING HUNDREDS OF JOBS AT THE LAB MANY ON CAPITOL HILL WANT THE LAB TO SWITCH FROM NUCLEAR WEAPONS- MAKINGTO A FOCUS ON ALTERNATIVE- ENERGY OR HIGH- TECH INDUSTRIES BUT THERE ARE THOSE WHO WANT THE LAB TO GET OUT OF THE BOMB-MAKING BUSINESS THE U-S SENATE STILL HAS TO VOTE ON IT S ENERGY BILL BOTH BILLS ARE DUE ON PRESIDENT BUSH S DESK OCTOBER FIRST IN SANTA FERS EWN- 4 HERE S WHERE THE POLITICIANS