By Russell Working

Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is one step from avoiding further layoffs after the U.S. Senate late Thursday approved a supplemental budget that includes additional science funding, officials indicated Friday.

In a 92-6 vote, the Senate passed an emergency spending bill that includes $62.5 million to the Department of Energy to ensure that Fermilab, Argonne National Laboratory and other facilities can continue research and retain staff, the office of Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) reported.

The National Science Foundation will receive another $62.5 million for critical research, part of which will benefit the two laboratories, Durbin's office stated.

The supplemental funding bill includes $400 million for science this year.

The Senate in late May voted for a bill that would have restored $250 million in science cuts, but Thursday's vote was required because the House's bill differed from the Senate's original. The White House announced it would support the latest proposal.

It still must be signed by President Bush, probably early next week, said Durbin spokeswoman Christina Mulka.

Fermilab officials were pleased to hear the news. "We are now confident that this bill will be enacted, and we will be announcing the end of involuntary layoffs," spokeswoman Judy Jackson said Friday.

Fermilab, in west suburban Batavia, has been cutting back since officials there were told their budget would be cut by $52 million after the 2008 fiscal year had started.

The lab began planning for a reduction of nearly 200 employees through layoffs and attrition. Argonne, in Lemont, facing $21 million in cuts, talked of slowing research and cutting staff.

Fermilab plans to hold a staff meeting Wednesday that Durbin, Reps. Bill Foster (D-Ill.) and Judy Biggert (R-Ill.) expect to attend, Jackson said.

In a statement posted on the Fermilab Web site Friday, lab director Pier Oddone said he expects he will be able to announce the end of proposed layoffs at the meeting.

"This is very good news for science and for Fermilab," Oddone said.

Argonne Director Robert Rosner said it was too soon to tell how much money the lab will receive, but he was delighted.

"It's wonderful for many reasons," Rosner said. "One of them is the recognition from the Senate that science funding is important."

The Senate approved the funding under a two-part appropriation. The first amendment provides $161.8 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through early next summer. Another $21 billion will fund disaster relief (including Midwest floods), military construction, foreign aid and program shortfalls, such as the restored science funding.