Funding for research of the controversial "bunker-buster" bomb quietly passed through a U.S. Senate committee, just weeks after the House shunned the controversial weapon.

The Senate Appropriations Committee included $4 million in the Energy and Water Appropriations bill Thursday to fund an Air Force bunker-buster study. In late May, the House deleted that same $4 million to fund research of the "mini-nuke" from their energy bill.

Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, vowed to continue to fight to eliminate funding for a "new generation of nuclear weapons." He cited a recent report by the National Academy of Sciences that concluded that an American attack with a bunker buster could cause "from hundreds to over a million" casualties.

Bunker busters, officially called "nuclear earth-penetrators," are weapons that would be able to slam into underground facilities.

Anti-nuclear activists are worried that if the weapon is built, testing will be performed at the Nevada Test Site.

"We're concerned that testing a second generation of nuclear weapons could lead to the creation of a second generation of down-winders," said Vanessa Pierce of the Healthy Environment Alliance of Utah.

Pierce criticized Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, who sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee, for not "seizing the opportunity" to stop funding for the bunker buster.

She claims the senator from Utah lost his chance to make any real impact on the bunker-buster debate by allowing the funding proposal to pass through his committee.

"Bennett knows how to work the system, and it's our impression that he chose not to use his influence to cut the funds," Pierce said. "We're very disappointed in him."

A Bennett spokeswoman, however, said the Utah senator supported the funding because it will not lead to future testing.

"This research and study provides a way to avoid testing. Sen. Bennett is supportive of that," spokeswoman Mary Jane Collipriest said." They should be grateful for this study and research then because through it we will be able to avoid testing."

Although the bunker buster would be designed for underground warfare, Utahns may be nervous because in the past venting has occurred at the Nevada Test Site.

In 1970, a 10 kiloton nuclear bomb, code-named Baneberry, exploded in a test 900 feet underground at the test site. It vented with material breaking through the surface. Baneberry spewed a cloud of radioactive debris into the atmosphere.

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