mr. chairman , i thank the gentleman . 
i appreciate both of the gentlemen for yielding time to me . 
i rise in opposition to this amendment which strikes from the bill a section that makes two simple , but important organizational changes at the department of energy . 
as the title of the section implies , these two changes are designated to improve the coordination and management of civilian science and technology programs at the department of energy . 
first , section 978 ( a ) of h.r. 6 simply changes from director to assistant secretary the title of the position responsible for overseeing the doe office of science . 
let me be clear about this . 
the director of the office of science already is an assistant secretary in all but title . 
like the other assistant secretaries at doe , the director of the office of science is already appointed by the president and confirmed by the senate . 
like the other assistant secretaries at doe , the director position is on an executive schedule . 
like the other assistant secretaries at the doe , the director position is a level iv on the executive schedule . 
this is not a new position nor is it a promotion . 
this is a title change only , no extra pay , no extra head count , no extra bureaucracy . 
this simple title change is still critically important to the operation and organization of the doe . 
we all know how important titles are within our federal departments and agencies , and this title change appropriately acknowledges the central importance of science and technology to fulfilling the department 's varied missions . 
that is why the person with the primary responsibility for overseeing basic scientific research within the department should have at least the same title as his or her counterparts who are responsible for applied energy research as their mission of the department . 
the second provision contained in section 978 ( b ) creates an additional assistant secretary at the department and expresses the sense of congress that the leadership for departmental missions in nuclear energy should be at the assistant secretary level . 
i would really like to thank the gentleman from virginia ( mr. tom davis ) for clarification of his position and his willingness to work to find an acceptable compromise , and also for the gentleman from texas ( chairman barton ) for his commitment to revisit this issue . 
