Big Buys

In the fiscal 1998 budget, agencies proposed to buy $61.8 billion in new capital assets-$45.8 billion in Defense projects and $16 billion for other agencies. Here's a look at what some want to buy.

Major Items By Agency

Army Corps of Engineers

• $380 million in 1998 for new projects
• $228 million in 1998; $575 million in 1999 to 2002 for ongoing projects.

Commerce

• $503 million in 1998; $2,332 million in 1999 to 2003 for National Weather Service modernization.

Energy

• $876 million to complete the national Ignition Facility.
• $127 million for five general science projects
• $42 million for 17 projects to rectify hazards or replace facilities
• Funding for 25 waste management projects and four small naval reactor development projects.

Health and Human Services

• $90 million in 1998; $130 million in 1999 to 2000 to continue construction of the Clinical Research Center at the National Institutes of Health
• $39 million in 1998; $70 million in 1999 to 2000 for construction of Indian Health Service facilities.

Interior

• $23 million in 1998; $21 million in 1999 to 2001 for five water resources projects.
• $25 million in 1998; $78 million in later years for building projects and acquisition and removal of two dams.
• $27 million in 1998; $76.2 million in later years for national park projects.
• $100 million in 1998; $100 million annually through 2001 for Everglades restoration.

Justice

• $84 million in 1998; $48 million in 1999 to complete automation of the FBI fingerprint system.

Transportation

• Federal Aviation Administration: $679 million in 1998; $2.1 billion in 1999 to 2003 with additional requests through 2005 for 13 projects to improve air traffic control, communications and aviation weather information systems.

Treasury

• IRS: $500 million in 1998
• $500 million in 1999 for tax system improvement investments.

NASA

• $2.1 billion in 1998; $6.8 billion in 1999 to 2002 for remaining costs of the $17.4 billion International Space Station.
• $457 million in 1998; $934 million in 1999 to 2002 for science, aeronautics and technology projects