On Jan. 3, The New Mexican ran, "LANL officials see lab's mission evolving: Energy, security research gets more money; nuclear work still central," which gives some hope. In the article, Sue Vorenberg reported that Los Alamos National Laboratory is receiving increased funding for energy and security research.

However, the hope was quickly tempered. In checking out the facts with the National Priorities Project, we found that, "New Mexico received a total of $4.5 billion from the U.S. Department of Energy and only 1.3 percent was for energy efficiency and renewable energy." (See: http://nationalpriorities.org.) That amount is not enough! We need to change our priorities.

Further, if it is true, as stated in the article, that the Lab does... "what the nation asks us to do..." then we need to speak out even more loudly. We urge that concerned citizens first get the facts. Among the resources we have used are the National Priorities Project and the Friends Committee on National Legislation, http://www.fcnl.org.

FCNL, the largest peace lobby in Washington, D.C., was founded 65 years ago by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers). The National Priorities Project has been an invaluable resource for an accessible and concise translation of the federal budget for 25 years. Like it, the Friends Commission is nonpartisan. Both Web sites are excellent and easy to use.

With President-elect Obama soon to take office, FCNL states that: "For the first time in almost 10 years, the United States has a chance to stop the development and spread of new nuclear weapons. During his campaign, Barack Obama said that as president he would "set a new direction in U.S. nuclear-weapons policy" and "work to ultimately eliminate all nuclear weapons."

This is our chance; we must urge President-elect Obama to act on his promise by securing Senate ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. Its ratification would remove the impetus for further nuclear-weapons production at the labs, including increased Pit production — the core of a nuclear weapon. The treaty would prohibit all nuclear test explosions and is absolutely essential to any effort to prevent the development of new generations of nuclear weapons. Check out FCNL's link: http://capwiz.com/fconl/issues/alert/?alertid=12318051 for letter/fax suggestions on this critical issue.

And we need to do more. Concerned citizens have been urging the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty for many years. Realistically, even with FCNL's nationally coordinated effort, it will be some time before the treaty is achieved. An equally important, additional step, is to contact our New Mexico congressional delegation. Go to http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/ and click on New Mexico in the map; it has already been updated.

Sen. Jeff Bingaman, Sen.-elect Tom Udall and our newly elected representatives need to hear from us. Let them know they have our support in pressing for increased funding for research in sustainable-energy technology and practices; it is critical that our labs further diversify their work now to retain and create jobs for the future.

Finally, a fact to keep in front of our delegation with an eye to a measurable evaluation of their performance: The National Priorities Project states that of the $2,512 a median income family in Santa Fe paid out in federal taxes in 2007, the military garnered $1,060, or about 42 cents on the dollar. Environment and energy science was allocated an unconscionable 2.6 cents! Let us together change those priorities for 2009!

The Rev. Pamela Gilchrist is a New Mexico Conference of Churches Board member. The Rev. Holly Beaumont is the organization's legislative advocate. Both live in Santa Fe.