[Senate Hearing 111-827]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 111-827
NOMINATIONS TO THE U.S. COAST GUARD,
THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
BOARD, THE MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION,
AND THE AMTRAK BOARD OF DIRECTORS
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
MARCH 18, 2010
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
63-798 WASHINGTON : 2011
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ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia, Chairman
DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas,
JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts Ranking
BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine
BARBARA BOXER, California JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada
BILL NELSON, Florida JIM DeMINT, South Carolina
MARIA CANTWELL, Washington JOHN THUNE, South Dakota
FRANK R. LAUTENBERG, New Jersey ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
MARK PRYOR, Arkansas GEORGE S. LeMIEUX, Florida
CLAIRE McCASKILL, Missouri JOHNNY ISAKSON, Georgia
AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota DAVID VITTER, Louisiana
TOM UDALL, New Mexico SAM BROWNBACK, Kansas
MARK WARNER, Virginia MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska
MARK BEGICH, Alaska
Ellen L. Doneski, Staff Director
James Reid, Deputy Staff Director
Bruce H. Andrews, General Counsel
Ann Begeman, Acting Republican Staff Director
Brian M. Hendricks, Republican General Counsel
Nick Rossi, Republican Chief Counsel
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
Hearing held on March 18, 2010................................... 1
Statement of Senator Cantwell.................................... 1
Statement of Senator Kerry....................................... 2
Statement of Senator Snowe....................................... 4
Prepared statement........................................... 5
Statement of Senator Isakson..................................... 24
Statement of Senator LeMieux..................................... 26
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 28
Statement of Senator Hutchison................................... 89
Prepared statement...........................................
Witnesses
Merkley, Hon. Jeff, U.S. Senator from Oregon..................... 7
Papp, Jr., Vice Admiral Robert J., Commandant-Designate, U.S.
Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security................... 8
Prepared statement........................................... 10
Biographical information..................................... 12
Robinson, Larry, Assistant Secretary-Designate, U.S. Department
of Commerce.................................................... 38
Prepared statement........................................... 39
Weener, Earl F., Member-Designate, National Transportation Safety
Board.......................................................... 40
Prepared statement........................................... 41
Biographical information..................................... 42
Tillman, Ph.D., Michael F., Member-Designate, Marine Mammal
Commission..................................................... 48
Prepared statement........................................... 49
Biographical information..................................... 49
Boness, Daryl J., Chairman-Designate, Marine Mammal Commission... 61
Prepared statement........................................... 62
Biographical information..................................... 64
Moreland, Jeffrey R., Member-Designate, Amtrak Board of Directors 83
Prepared statement........................................... 84
Biographical information..................................... 84
Appendix
Inouye, Hon. Daniel K., U.S. Senator from Hawaii, prepared
statement...................................................... 95
Response to written questions submitted to Vice Admiral Robert J.
Papp, Jr. by:
Hon. Frank R. Lautenberg..................................... 95
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison.................................... 96
Hon. Roger F. Wicker......................................... 97
Response to written questions submitted to Dr. Larry Robinson by:
Hon. John D. Rockefeller IV.................................. 99
Hon. Mark Begich............................................. 100
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison.................................... 100
Hon. John Thune.............................................. 101
Hon. David Vitter............................................ 102
Response to written questions submitted to Dr. Earl Weener by
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison 102
Response to written questions submitted to Dr. Michael F. Tillman
by:
Hon. John D. Rockefeller IV.................................. 103
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchinson................................... 105
Response to written questions submitted to Dr. Daryl J. Boness
by:
Hon. John D. Rockefeller IV.................................. 106
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison.................................... 107
Response to written questions submitted to Jeffrey R. Moreland
by:
Hon. Frank R. Lautenberg..................................... 108
Hon. Tom Udall............................................... 108
Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison.................................... 109
NOMINATIONS TO THE U.S. COAST GUARD,
THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE,
THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY
BOARD, THE MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION,
AND THE AMTRAK BOARD OF DIRECTORS
----------
THURSDAY, MARCH 18, 2010
U.S. Senate,
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:04 a.m. in
room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. Maria
Cantwell, presiding.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. MARIA CANTWELL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON
Senator Cantwell. The Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation will come to order.
Good morning. I thank everyone for being here today, and
the nominees and their willingness to serve.
The nominees before this committee today represent a number
of agencies that are crucial to our Nation, our environment,
and our economy. The Coast Guard, NOAA, and the National
Transportation Safety Board, and Amtrak all face major
challenges, and our Nation depends on the high quality of
public servants to take up these important issues.
The Subcommittee which I am Chair of the Oceans,
Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, is particularly
interested in the nominees for the position of Coast Guard and
NOAA. For the Coast Guard, the next Commandant will have to
cope with an ever-growing set of important missions, even amid
increasing challenges in this fiscal environment.
On a national scale, the Coast Guard's responsibilities are
extensive and wide-ranging. For example, last year, the Coast
Guard responded to more than 23,550 search and rescue cases,
stopped more than 3,700 undocumented immigrants from illegally
entering the U.S., and responded to approximately 3,600
pollution incidents and protected our communities by seizing
160 metric tons of cocaine, valued at nearly $5 billion.
Admiral Papp, if you are confirmed as the next Commandant,
you will constantly be asked to balance the demands of crucial
and evolving homeland security missions while enduring your
traditional missions and making sure that they are met.
On the Deepwater Program, the Coast Guard has taken some
steps toward fixing the failings of the past. But make no
mistake, I am nowhere close to satisfied with the Coast Guard's
progress on Deepwater, and we will continue to have aggressive
oversight.
We are not done fixing the Coast Guard's acquisition
program, and many challenges lie ahead. Taxpayers deserve to
know that their Government dollars are being spent in a
responsible manner. We cannot repeat the blunders of the past,
and I assure you we will be looking at how every dollar is
spent. The Coast Guard needs to complete its mission safely and
effectively, and taxpayers are going to be making sure that
that happens.
NOAA also faces a similar daunting number of
responsibilities and challenges. Our world's oceans are facing
unprecedented threats. The process of ocean acidification is
actually challenging the very chemistry of the ocean.
As our carbon dioxide emissions make seawater more acidic,
the ocean may begin to withhold the basic chemical building
blocks needed by many marine organisms. In regions like the
Pacific Northwest, scientists predict that a more acidic ocean
could dissolve the shells of tiny organisms that make up the
base of the oceans food chain.
When it comes to ocean acidification, we risk not just
damaging the ocean's ecosystem, we are threatening its very
foundation. We are already seeing on the ground economic
impacts of ocean acidification, like the shellfish farmers in
Washington State, those who are greatly impacted by
acidification.
In addition to ocean acidification, NOAA's conservation and
management efforts have to cope with a long list of threats--
ocean dead zones, ocean trash and marine debris, overfishing,
toxic algae blooms, increasing ocean temperatures, and
endangered species. NOAA and the Obama Administration are
making ambitious steps to begin addressing many of these
issues, and it is imperative that NOAA fill its ranks with the
best, most-qualified people to carry out NOAA's conservation
and management responsibilities. The ocean coasts and our blue
economy will depend on this.
I look forward to hearing from today's nominees on their
experience and background and what best prepared them to meet
the challenges that we face ahead.
So, with that, I know that we have several colleagues that
are here that would like to give statements on behalf of
nominees that are from their home State areas. And so, I see my
colleague Senator Kerry is here. Would you like to make a
statement now on behalf of Admiral Papp?
STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN F. KERRY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MASSACHUSETTS
Senator Kerry. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Well, I appreciate the opportunity. I am not sure what the
order is--I think Admiral Papp is the first panel. And I
appreciate the opportunity to say a few words in support of his
nomination to become the Commandant of the United States Coast
Guard.
I am convinced that Admiral Papp was predestined--ordained,
if you will--to become a ship captain in the Coast Guard
because he grew up within sight of the Coast Guard Academy in
New London, Connecticut, and he was inspired, I know, by the
sight of the training vessel EAGLE as she would go out of
there.
He spent 14 years at sea over the course of his career, the
captain of 4 Coast Guard cutters, EAGLE, and the CONSTITUTION.
The EAGLE and CONSTITUTION--excuse me. He was not captain of
the CONSTITUTION. That is a Navy ship. I am not giving that to
him.
[Laughter.]
Senator Kerry. But the EAGLE and CONSTITUTION are the only
active sailing vessels in the American Government's service,
and I know that he considers service on the EAGLE as sort of
the pinnacle of his career because he had the privilege of
training with some 1,000 cadets in that process, and that is
the future of the Coast Guard.
I had the privilege of meeting the Admiral when he was
still a captain on the EAGLE, and it came at a time when he
sailed the EAGLE and her crew at the head of a group of tall
ships coming into Boston in the Summer of 1998. We were
celebrating the 200th anniversary of CONSTITUTION's maiden
voyage.
I will always remember it because Prince William of Great
Britain was there, representing the Queen. And I remember
walking into this reception in the Charlestown Navy shipyard,
and there were a host of Navy officers there all dressed in
white. The only person there in blue was the Admiral, who
clearly put his blues on just to stand out amidst all the Navy
folks, and I had the privilege of introducing the Prince to
him. I also got to meet his wife, Linda, who is here with us
today.
I renewed our acquaintance the next year when he became the
Coast Guard's Chief of Congressional Affairs. And I will say
that during the 3 years in that job and anybody on this
committee who worked with him in that task knows how diligently
he worked and the authority that he brought in his effort to
fight for the resources necessary to carry out the full range
of Coast Guard missions, which we all know have grown markedly
both with the increase of interdiction narcotics efforts, as
well as the post-9/11 responsibilities that have fallen to the
Coast Guard.
Madam Chairwoman, there is no one more passionate about the
Coast Guard or the defense of our country than Admiral Papp,
and it is a passion that is guided by significant experience,
operational and staff experience that will serve him very, very
well. He has held almost every important command in the Coast
Guard, and that ranges from the District Commander on the
northern border, Director of Reserve and Training, the
Commander of the Ninth Coast Guard District, Chief of Staff of
the Coast Guard, and currently, the Atlantic Area Commander
responsible for all Coast Guard activities from the Rocky
Mountains to the Arabian Gulf. That is an enormous span of
responsibility.
So I am convinced that his experience, combined with his
passion and his vision, make him the ideal candidate to lead
the United States Coast Guard at this critical juncture in its
storied history, and I am proud to introduce him to the
Committee.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Senator Kerry. And thank you
for being here.
We are going to call Vice Admiral Papp up in a few minutes,
but I wondered if my colleague, the Ranking Member of the
Subcommittee, had anything that she wanted to say this morning
before we continued?
STATEMENT OF HON. OLYMPIA J. SNOWE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MAINE
Senator Snowe. And thank you, Madam Chair, and I appreciate
very much for convening this hearing today to discuss the vital
contributions of our nominees.
And I first want to recognize the nomination of Vice
Admiral Papp to be the next Commandant of the Coast Guard, and
I want to welcome Admiral Papp. And I appreciate the fact he
was willing to travel to Maine recently to attend the
Fishermen's Forum.
And I think he certainly gained a perspective of, you know,
how the people of Maine, a coastal State, and the fishing
community view the Coast Guard with tremendous admiration and
appreciation for the work that the Coast Guard does, day in and
day out, on behalf of the people of our State and across this
country. So there is enormous gratitude for the work that they
perform.
I want to welcome Admiral Papp before this committee as the
next nominee for the Commandant of the Coast Guard. I think his
resume--as Senator Kerry and I know the Chair has spoken to--
speaks for itself with 35 years of service since his graduation
from the Coast Guard Academy.
But I also want to point out that he is just the 13th
service member to qualify as a Gold Ancient Mariner, with over
10 years of cumulative at-sea time during his tenure,
remarkable example and demonstration of his commitment to the
service of this country.
I also want to thank him for all of the work that he has
done over the years. I think his background and experience
demonstrates an abundance of expertise and qualifications to
assume this job and the capacity as Commandant, given the
enormous challenges and responsibilities that that job
represents.
The Coast Guard fills innumerable roles in the maritime
domain and does so with tremendous skill, precision, and speed,
despite often operating in the most treacherous of conditions.
When other vessels head for safe harbors in the face of a
rising storm, it is the Coast Guard's duty to sail full steam
ahead into the teeth of the tempest to assist those in need.
From dramatic helicopter rescues hundreds of miles from
shore to its role as first responders in the face of
humanitarian crises like the tragic earthquake in Haiti, the
Coast Guard perpetually lives up to its motto, ``Always
ready.''
So the Coast Guard today faces countless challenges, which
we will pursue through various questions to the Admiral. But
certainly, in the execution of their missions--and frankly, it
is the budget that concerns me the most. President Obama has
chosen in this Fiscal Year to impose a freeze on nonmilitary
discretionary spending. And frankly, the Coast Guard is a
branch of the military. So I am surprised that it wasn't
recognized as such in terms of now imposing a reduction of more
than $340 million in the Fiscal Year 2010 enacted level.
So those are some of the issues that I certainly will be
pursuing in the line of questioning. But I certainly want to
welcome Admiral Papp to this position and to this committee so
that we have a chance to explore these and examine these key
issues.
And Madam Chair, I also would like to recognize on the
second panel an individual who represents the State of Maine,
who is highly qualified in the position not only as a member of
the Marine Mammal Commission, but also has been nominated to be
the next Chair of the Marine Mammal Commission. And I want to
recognize Dr. Daryl Boness. I know he represents Maine's
outstanding academic community with his research and the fact
that he is a Research Professor at the University of Maine in
Orono.
And I am just very pleased with his credentials and
qualifications that he has been recognized not only to be
reappointed to this commission, but also to serve as the next
Chair.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Senator Snowe follows:]
Prepared Statement for Hon. Olympia J. Snowe, U.S. Senator from Maine
Good morning, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for convening this
hearing today to discuss the vital contributions these nominees will
provide to the Nation. In particular, as Ranking Member of the
Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard, and as
a Senator from a state so inextricably linked to our oceans and coasts,
I am pleased to be in this position to ensure we uphold the tradition
of strong leadership of the United States Coast Guard with the
nomination of Vice Admiral Robert Papp to be the next Commandant.
I want to welcome Admiral Papp who comes before this committee
today nominated to be the Coast Guard's next Commandant. Admiral Papp's
resume speaks for itself, with 35 years of service since his graduation
from the Coast Guard Academy, but I also want to point out that he is
just the 13th service member to qualify as a Gold Ancient Mariner with
over 10 years of cumulative at-sea time during his tenure--a remarkable
example of his commitment to the service and the country. I also want
to thank him for his offer to travel with me to Maine earlier this
month to attend the Maine Fishermen's Forum and after having the
opportunity for extended conversations with him during our trip to
Maine and back, there is no doubt in my mind that he is the right
person for the job.
The Coast Guard fills innumerable roles in the maritime domain, and
does so with tremendous skill, precision, and speed despite often
operating in the most treacherous of conditions. When other vessels
head for safe harbors in the face of a rising storm, it is the Coast
Guard's duty to sail full steam ahead into the teeth of the tempest to
assist those in need. From dramatic helicopter rescues hundreds of
miles from shore to its role as first responder in the face of
humanitarian crises like the tragic earthquake in Haiti, the Coast
Guard perpetually lives up to its motto: semper paratus--``always
ready.''
Today's Coast Guard faces countless challenges from the continued
vigilant execution of their missions, to the ongoing efforts to correct
the course of its troubled recapitalization and acquisition program, to
dealing with what can only be described as a hostile budget environment
within this Administration. And frankly, it is the budget that concerns
me most. President Obama chose in his Fiscal Year 2011 budget to impose
a freeze on non-military discretionary spending. The Coast Guard of
course is a branch of the military, but this budget actually imposed a
reduction of over $340 million from the FY 2010 enacted level.
As this committee has discussed on numerous prior occasions, the
Coast Guard is an agency that has always been asked to do more with
less, and we simply cannot continue to expect the same high level of
service without sufficient funding. Already in the budget request, we
are looking at the elimination of key port security assets, for
example, including the Marine Safety and Security Team stationed in New
York Harbor. I look forward to discussing with Admiral Papp how, as
Commandant, he would ensure the Coast Guard can continue to provide its
truly critical services in light of this proposed reduction.
I also want to welcome our second panel of nominees who will appear
before us today, particularly Dr. Daryl Boness, a resident of Hartford,
Maine, and Research Professor at the University of Maine, Orono, who
has been nominated to serve on the Marine Mammal Commission. Dr.
Boness' scientific career spans more than 30 years, and in addition to
his work as Editor-in-Chief of the journal Marine Mammal Science, he
has served on review panels for the National Marine Fisheries Service,
the Fish and Wildlife Service, the Office of Naval Research, just to
name a few. He is among the most respected scientists in his field, and
will provide invaluable contributions to our Nation's marine mammal
management programs.
Dr. Boness is joined in his nomination to that body by Dr. Michael
Tillman. And I want to thank Dr. Larry Robinson, nominated to be
Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.
Our ocean and coastal resources provide tremendous ecological,
economic, and cultural benefits, but recent Administrations, including
the current one, have failed to recognize their contributions with
sufficient investment. I am pleased to see that NOAA has created a
senior leadership position--to which Dr. Robinson is nominated--to
coordinate the agency's efforts on conservation and management. As I
discussed with Dr. Lubchenco at the NOAA Budget hearing before this
committee earlier this month, we are drastically underfunding oceanic
research--particularly fisheries research that has a very real impact
on our coastal economy.
In Prospect Harbor, Maine, we have recently seen the loss of 130
jobs resulting from the closing of a century-old sardine cannery--the
last one in the country. The reason for this closure is that scientists
set a low catch limit for herring, not because the stock is overfished,
but because the data they had to work with simply could not provide
enough certainty to make a valid assessment of the health of the fish
population. A Government Accountability Office study released in 2008
found a similar dearth of data to support marine mammal stock
assessments, something Drs. Boness and Tillman are no doubt aware of. I
hope we can count on these nominees to help reverse that trend, protect
our depleted resources, and ensure a brighter, sustainable future for
our coastal resources and economy.
Finally, I want to welcome Dr. Earl Weener, nominated to the
National Transportation Safety Board, and Mr. Jeffrey Moreland to serve
on Amtrak's Board of Directors.
The Federal Government's role in transportation is primarily one of
safety; new members of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB),
will continue to be a part of an agency immersed in the investigation
of two high-profile accidents this committee has expressed considerable
interest in; last year's crash of Continental Flight 3407 outside of
Buffalo, New York, and the Metro collision of two passenger trains near
Takoma Park, Maryland in June of last year, as well as improving the
safety of Americans through comprehensive review of dozens of incidents
and accidents throughout the country.
I must admit, I have grown tired of reading newspaper articles
detailing various accidents which the NTSB has already warned against
by pointing out safety flaws that could have prevented these accidents.
In fact, I worked with Senator Boxer to put some of the Board's
recommendations into law in our One Level of Safety legislation, and
the Committee has recognized that work, and inserted it into the FAA
Reauthorization. While I am well aware that the agency has only the
ability to make recommendations, and has no implementation authority, I
believe the NTSB's challenge will be to become more assertive in
communicating to Congress if government entities continue to be
downright dismissive of the Board's efforts.
One new focus this Administration has brought to transportation
policy has been the substantial interest in, and subsequent commitment
to, passenger rail. With Amtrak as our primary vehicle for inter-city
passenger rail--particularly in the Northeast--I look forward to having
a complete Board of Directors to preside over the $13 billion Federal
investment we made for passenger rail over the past year.
While I remain a serious supporter of passenger rail, and was
particularly gratified that my home state of Maine received a High
Speed Rail grant of $35 million to extend our Downeaster service north
to Brunswick, Maine, I am not entirely convinced we are using our
limited transportation resources in the most responsible manner. The
Associated Press pointed out that one high-speed rail project in
California--one!--is projected to cost upwards of $40 billion. Can we
provide the kind of commitment for high speed rail--both in terms of
time, and more importantly, revenue--that will provide benefits to all
Americans? Or are we squandering precious revenues that could be used
to restore Amtrak's infrastructure to a state of good repair, to
prepare it to move at greater speeds and with greater efficiency?
Amtrak's Board of Directors should have a significant role in these
discussions.
Once again, I want to thank the Chairman for bringing all of these
nominees before the Committee today, and I look forward to our
conversations and to continuing the process of filling the vacancies
and increasing the efficiency of operations of the Federal Government.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Senator Snowe.
And again, before we turn to Vice Admiral Papp, we are
joined by our colleague Senator Merkley from Oregon, a member
of the EPW Committee, to give comments about one of the other
nominees.
So welcome to the Committee, Senator Merkley. We look
forward to your introduction.
STATEMENT OF HON. JEFF MERKLEY,
U.S. SENATOR FROM OREGON
Senator Merkley. Thank you, Madam Chair.
And thank you to you and members of the Committee for the
invitation to come and to introduce a fine Oregonian and expert
in aviation safety, Dr. Earl Weener.
Dr. Weener will appear in the second panel, but he is being
nominated to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety
Board. I would also like to welcome his wife, Linda, who is
able to join us today.
Dr. Weener, of Sherwood, Oregon, has spent his life working
as an engineer in both the private and nonprofit sectors to
improve airplane and pilot safety. His Ph.D. is in aerospace
engineering and he was formerly the Chief Engineer at Boeing,
where he created and led industry programs that demonstrate the
necessity for additional safety enhancements in order to reduce
crashes due to pilot error. His activities helped instigate
industry initiatives toward risk reduction.
His lifelong career has helped the commercial aviation
industry incorporate accident prevention into their operational
systems, both domestically and internationally. He has won a
number of awards for his outstanding work, including the
Honeywell Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety in 2005 for his
contributions to commercial air aviation safety. He was also
awarded the Aviation Week and Space Technology Laurels Award in
1994 for his leadership in preventing controlled flight into
terrain accidents.
He is currently a Fellow at the Flight Safety Foundation,
where he has led international industry initiatives to improve
runway safety, and to reduce ground accidents and injuries. He
is also a general aviation flight instructor, and so he
understands firsthand the skills required by pilots and the
learning process that new pilots go through. Not only does Dr.
Weener have aviation experience, he also has a Coast Guard
captain's license and spent 2 years of his retirement traveling
around the U.S. coast.
While we all hope that aviation accidents continue to be
few and far between, having a qualified member of the NTSB such
as Dr. Weener, benefits our quest to eliminate accidents and
perfect aviation safety.
So I am very pleased to support his nomination, and thank
you for the invitation to introduce him.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Senator Merkley, for your
statement. I am sure Dr. Weener very much appreciates you being
here today on his behalf, and we will look forward to hearing
his comments.
Vice Admiral Papp, if you would come to the witness table
and make your statement? And if you would, introduce your
family. We appreciate them being here as well.
STATEMENT OF VICE ADMIRAL ROBERT J. PAPP, JR.,
COMMANDANT-DESIGNATE, U.S. COAST GUARD,
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Admiral Papp. Good morning, Madam Chair. I would like to
introduce my wife, Linda, who is sitting directly behind me.
She is with me here today.
A number of shipmates unexpectedly have driven up here to
be with me as well, including, most importantly, my Executive
Assistant for the last 2 years, Commander, now Captain-select
Rick Rodriguez, who has served me well and will be coming to
Washington this summer in another assignment.
I would ask, Madam Chair, that I be able to submit my
prepared testimony for the record and give a brief oral
statement.
Senator Cantwell. Please do so.
Admiral Papp. Thank you.
Good morning, Madam Chair.
And Senator Kerry, thank you so much for that introduction.
It is good to reestablish our relationship and good to see you
again. I deeply appreciate you taking the time to come in here
this morning and for your constant stewardship of the Coast
Guard.
As well, Senator Snowe, it was great to get together with
you again. I really enjoyed going up to Maine for that visit.
Next time, I want to be able to have a couple lobsters while I
am there. So maybe we will spend a little more time when I go
up there.
It is a privilege for me to appear before you today. I am
grateful for the confidence of President Obama and Secretary
Napolitano in nominating me to become the 24th Commandant of
the United States Coast Guard.
I am also grateful that my wife of nearly 34 years, Linda,
is able to share this day with me because she has been an
inseparable part of my career, just as she would tell you that
the Coast Guard has been an inseparable part of our marriage--
insufferable sometimes, but inseparable.
[Laughter.]
Admiral Papp. It has been an honor to serve in the Coast
Guard for nearly 35 years, and I am humbled by the prospect of
serving as the Commandant. I joined the Coast Guard with a
desire to be a mariner and a ship's captain, carrying out Coast
Guard operations. As an operator, I have seen firsthand the
obsolete cutters, boats, aircraft, electronics, and logistics
systems that contribute to the difficulty of performing our
missions in an unforgiving environment.
In 1999, after many years at sea, I became the Chief of
Coast Guard Congressional Affairs. At the time, we were faced
with declining budgets, which required tough decisions on the
allocation of resources, while suffering from obsolete and
worn-out operational assets and deteriorating shore
infrastructure.
Now when I was assigned to the job, I believed that
Congressional Affairs might be my last assignment before
retiring. But after the events of September 11, 2001, I was
inspired to continue my service, and I have been humbled to be
given continuing opportunities to serve in the Coast Guard and
to serve our country.
Today, after 8 years of unprecedented budget growth, the
Coast Guard, unfortunately, is still plagued with much of the
same obsolete equipment. After the tragedy of 9/11, we assumed
increased responsibilities, which placed additional burdens on
our people and equipment and presented challenges to performing
our traditional missions. Like 1999, we now face potential
budget constraints, increased mission demands, and strained
resources.
Now the reason we continue to get the job done is people.
As an operational field commander for nearly half my career, I
have been able to maintain a meaningful connection with and
understanding of the people who have volunteered to serve their
country in the United States Coast Guard.
When I talk about these people, I refer to them as
shipmates. Shipmates is my short-hand term of endearment for
members of the Coast Guard family--the active duty, the
reserve, the auxiliary, and the civilians, all the men and
women of our service who, because of our experiences together,
really do become an extended family.
I have visited with thousands of them. But more
importantly, I have listened to them and heard loud and clear
that they remain committed to mission excellence, but they need
the resources--the ships, the aircraft, the boats, the
communication systems, and the shore infrastructure--to keep up
with the increasingly challenging missions in the maritime
environment.
At the same time, they desire policies that facilitate
their dreams and aspirations while accommodating the current
societal norms for those who desire family stability. We want
to make our service the choice of a profession for all
Americans.
I am committed to the dedicated men and women with whom I
have proudly served alongside for 35 years. If confirmed as
Commandant, my obligation to them, as well as the Department of
Homeland Security and the American public will be fulfilled by
setting a course that steadies our service, honors our
profession, strengthens our partnerships, and respects our
shipmates.
For the past 2 years, I have been responsible for two-
thirds of the Coast Guard's worldwide operations. We have
conducted operations from the Rocky Mountains to the Northern
Arabian Gulf, dealing with devastating floods and hurricanes,
ice-choked rivers, major oil spills, and migrant and drug
smugglers, all while providing security and safety for our
ports and waterways and enforcing a host of maritime safety
regulations.
Our versatile, adaptable ships, boats, and aircraft, and
people perform splendidly in spite of the challenges presented
by obsolete equipment and casualties. And most recently, they
were the first on scene in Haiti to provide relief to that
country's poor and unfortunate people.
Shortly after the earthquake, the cutter TAHOMA from
Kittery, Maine, pulled into Port-au-Prince harbor, and her
Captain, Jim Spott, sent a group of his shipmates ashore to see
what they could do for the dying, sick, and wounded. Among that
group was a recent Coast Guard Academy graduate named Ensign
Kevin Robinson. I exchanged e-mails with Ensign Robinson.
He said, ``My peers and I are not doctors, but we do have
basic medical training and supplies to keep a deep cut from
turning into an amputation. We are just scrambling to help as
many people as we can with what we have.''
Ensign Robinson's words and deeds could be taken as a
metaphor for a service that has the somewhat dubious reputation
of always trying to do more with less, often at the expense of
working our people harder. I addressed this challenge head on
in my speech upon taking command of Atlantic Area 2 years ago.
``We have the honor and privilege of performing meaningful
work that is essential to the long-term safety and security of
our country. I know you are capable of heroic and extraordinary
deeds. I will never ask you to do more than our resources
allow, but we must do our absolute best with what we have to
sustain mission excellence. We owe it to our citizens and our
shipmates. I expect nothing better. You should accept nothing
less.''
My operational leadership experience over more than three
decades has constantly reenergized my passion and enhanced my
vision to lead the service in carrying out all 11 of the Coast
Guard's statutory missions in the most effective and
professional manner possible.
Again, I am privileged to appear before you today in
consideration of serving as the 24th Commandant of the United
States Coast Guard. I look forward to working with the
leadership and the members of this committee to make the
service as effective as possible, and I will be happy to answer
any questions that you have.
[The prepared statement and biographical information of
Admiral Papp follows:]
Prepared Statement of Vice Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., Commandant-
Designate, U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security
Introduction
Good afternoon Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the
Committee. It is a privilege to appear before you today. I am grateful
for the confidence of President Obama and Secretary Napolitano in
nominating me to become the 24th Commandant of the United States Coast
Guard. I would also like to thank Admiral Thad Allen, our current
Commandant, for the opportunity to serve as Chief of Staff of the Coast
Guard and Commander of the Atlantic Area. It has been an honor to serve
in the Coast Guard for nearly 35 years, and I am humbled by the
prospect of serving as the Commandant. Today, I will discuss my
priorities and objectives to provide an overview of how, if confirmed,
I will lead the Coast Guard in support of the goals of the Department
of Homeland Security (DHS).
Unique Agency of the Federal Government
The Coast Guard is a unique Federal agency. We trace our history
back to August 4th, 1790, when the first Congress authorized the
construction of ten vessels to prevent smuggling and enforce tariff and
trade laws. Over the last two centuries, we have expanded in size,
authorities, and responsibilities to confront the ever-evolving
challenges of the maritime environment. With its broad safety,
security, military, and law enforcement authorities, today's Coast
Guard is a versatile, adaptable, maritime service within DHS and one of
the Nation's five armed services. In fulfilling the Coast Guard's
eleven statutorily-mandated missions, we protect against hazards to
people, maritime commerce, and the environment; defend our borders;
rescue those in peril on our waters; respond promptly to both man-made
and natural disasters to restore the Nation's waterways--safeguarding
and fostering the rapid recovery of the Marine Transportation System
(MTS); and, when called upon, defend the Nation both at home or abroad
in partnership with the other Armed Forces. On the rivers, in the
ports, on the seas, and around the globe, the Coast Guard provides a
great service to our Nation through our distinctive blend of military,
humanitarian, and civilian law enforcement capabilities.
Our People--Our Results
We have approximately 42,000 active duty, 8,200 reserve, 8,000
civilian, and 31,000 volunteer auxiliary members engaged in conducting
or supporting Coast Guard operations. These dedicated men and women
deliver critical services and value to the public across our eleven
missions. In FY 2009, under the leadership of Admiral Allen, we
responded to more than 23,500 search and rescue cases and saved more
than 4,700 lives; removed more than 160 metric tons of cocaine bound
for the United States; interdicted more than 3,700 undocumented
migrants attempting to enter our Nation illegally; and conducted
thousands of security boardings and escorts. In support of the MTS, we
serviced more than 17,700 aids to navigation and corrected more than
7,500 discrepancies; performed domestic icebreaking to keep waterways
open for commercial traffic carrying more than $600 million worth of
cargo; performed more than 17,300 facility inspections, 25,400
container inspections, and over 14,000 inspections on U.S.-flagged
certificated vessels; and conducted nearly 4,500 marine casualty
investigations.
Since our inception, the Coast Guard's service to the Nation has
been defined by our missions and our people. Our men and women are
inspired by the rich heritage of our Service and its accomplishments.
Today. the challenges that we face are as varied as they are demanding.
The American people and our partner agencies expect clarity of purpose
and excellence in performing our statutory missions--and that is what
we seek to do on a daily basis.
Unity of Effort
The Coast Guard's core competencies, organizational ethos, and
broad capabilities are tightly aligned to DHS' vision to provide a
homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and
other hazards. Our Service's eleven missions, performed by a talented
and versatile work force, reflect and support the Secretary of Homeland
Security's five priorities as articulated in the Department's
Quadrennial Homeland Security Review:
Preventing Terrorism and Enhancing Security
Securing and Managing Our Borders
Enforcing and Administering Our Immigration Laws
Safeguarding and Securing Cyberspace
Ensuring Resilience to Disasters
My Priorities
I am wholly committed to carrying out the Coast Guard's eleven
statutory missions in the most professional and effective manner
possible. If confirmed, I will set a course that completes several
ongoing reforms, honors our profession, strengthens our partnerships,
and respects our shipmates. I will briefly elaborate on my priorities
below.
Completing Ongoing Reforms
The Coast Guard can and will increase our effectiveness by
completing several ongoing staffing, financial management, and mission
alignment reform efforts over the next few years. The tragic 9/11
attacks and Hurricane Katrina displayed the Coast Guard's exceptional
skills, yet also brought to light several structural areas in our
organization that needed improvement. We continue to modernize our
headquarters and logistics organizations, we are updating our financial
management systems to reflect contemporary controls and procedures for
accounting and property management, and I am committed to completing
the efforts already underway to reform our acquisitions program and
recapitalize our cutters, aircraft, and Command, Control, Computers,
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance systems. Our challenge
is to effectively coordinate and complete these efforts as
expeditiously as possible while maintaining our high levels of
performance across our operational mission set.
In order to realize all of the priorities I am outlining today, we
need to remain committed to the recapitalization of our aging fleet. We
have worked diligently to overcome our acquisition program's
performance gaps, and Congress' continued support for, emphasis on, and
oversight of this program is critical. We need to build on the
acquisitions successes of our seagoing and coastal buoy tenders, as
well as the 87-foot coastal patrol boat program, and extend those
successes to our other cutter classes.
The operational demands on the Coast Guard require completion of
our critical recapitalization programs. Aging, deteriorating, and
technically-challenged resources have exacerbated our operational
challenges. To maximize effectiveness in the future, I will ensure that
the Coast Guard is optimally organized to most effectively operate
within its available resources. I will take aggressive steps to refocus
on the versatile and adaptable capabilities provided by our cutters,
boats, and aircraft in order to be prepared for the challenges of today
and tomorrow. Most importantly, I will ensure our people have a clear
vision and focus on how we will collectively navigate the way ahead to
best leverage our versatile and adaptable maritime core capabilities
and ensure the stability of our Service.
Honor Our Profession and Respect Our Shipmates
The Coast Guard's greatest asset is the men and women who are
called to duty in our active, reserve, civilian, and auxiliary
components. Over the last decade, our workforce has grown rapidly to
meet expanding requirements. To establish the highest professional
standards, I will work to identify and address any gaps in
capabilities, competencies, and performance measures. I am deeply
committed to developing our collective work force, enabling our men and
women to build upon their experiences and excel throughout their
careers.
I am also fully committed to providing the absolute best in human
resource management, administrative support, wellness programs, and
professional development. It is imperative that we continue to recruit
and retain talented and motivated people. Our ability to accomplish
this depends upon the substantive opportunities we offer, and our
actions to care for our own. To implement this mandate, I will
implement policies to benefit the workforce and their families by
providing a safe, collaborative, and productive workplace environment,
and support the White House initiative to provide family and geographic
stability to our men and women in the armed services. I am committed to
a Service that reflects the racial, ethnic, and gender composition of
our Nation. In short, if confirmed as Commandant, maintaining the Coast
Guard as a profession of choice will be one of my top responsibilities.
Strengthen Our Partnerships
The Coast Guard has strengthened our ability to protect our
Nation's ports, waterways, and coastlines by partnering with Federal,
state, and local agencies; tribal nations; the marine industry; and
international stakeholders. By working collaboratively, we can align
our efforts to create an effective and efficient system to meet today's
demands and fulfill our national security goals. I will work closely
with Secretary Napolitano to fully implement the shared vision for
homeland security set forth in the Department's first ever Quadrennial
Homeland Security Review. I will also build upon the Coast Guard's
strong record of developing and supporting maritime security
partnerships at all levels of government and internationally with
foreign coast guards. Prioritizing these partnerships will help us
create a Maritime Transportation System that is safe, secure, and
resilient against all hazards.
Conclusion
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Admiral Thad
Allen for his exceptional service to our Nation during his tenure as
Commandant. Admiral Allen has presided over the needed adjustments to
our organization and force structure that have set us up for success
now and in the future. Our recent response to the tragic earthquake in
Haiti underscores these improvements, as we led the initial U.S.
response during the first 24 hours and supported the effort coordinated
by the U.S. Agency for International Development and U.S. Southern
Command in the following days.
Serving our country is more than a job--it is a calling that
obligates us to responsible conduct, accountability, and commitment to
the Coast Guard's core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty.
We are inspired to serve by patriotic motives and the rule of law, and
we have sworn to support and defend the Constitution. My operational
and leadership experience over more than three decades has constantly
re-energized my passion and enhanced my vision to lead the Coast Guard
in a meaningful, efficient, and effective manner to serve the American
people.
Again, I am privileged to appear before you today in consideration
of serving as the 24th Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. I
look forward to working with the leadership and members of this
committee to make the Service as effective as possible. I am happy to
answer any questions you may have.
______
a. biographical information
1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used): Robert J.
Papp, Jr.
2. Position to which nominated: Admiral (O-10); Commandant, U.S.
Coast Guard.
3. Date of Nomination: December 22, 2009.
4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):
Residence: Information not released to the public.
Office: Commander (Lant-00), U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area,
432 Crawford St., Portsmouth, VA 23704.
5. Date and Place of Birth: 25 March 1952; North Kingston, Rhode
Island, USA.
6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).
Spouse: Linda Kapral Papp, Retired in June 2008 Fairfax County
Public Schools, Fairfax, VA; children: Lindsay Anne Sher (28),
Caitlin Elizabeth Papp (24) (twins), Jillian Marie Papp (24).
7. List all college and graduate degrees. Provide year and school
attended.
College: U.S. Coast Guard Academy 1970-75--BS/Management 04
June 1975.
Graduate: U.S. Naval War College 1989-90--MA/Strategic Studies
01 June 1990.
Graduate: Salve Regina College 1989-90--MS/Management 20 May
1990.
8. List all post-undergraduate employment, and highlight all
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to
the position for which you are nominated.
Post-undergraduate and Management-level jobs (all U.S. Coast Guard
assignments):
Jun 1975 to Aug 1975--Commissioned Platoon Officer, U.S. Coast
Guard Academy, New London, CT.
Sep 1975 to Apr 1977--Deck/Operations Officer, USCGC IRONWOOD,
Adak, AK.
Jun 1977 to Jan 1979--Executive Officer, USCGC REDWOOD, New
London, CT.
Jan 1979 to May 1981--Commissioned Company Officer, U.S. Coast
Guard Academy, New London, CT.
Jun 1981 to Aug 1983--Commanding Officer, USCGC RED BEECH,
Governors Island, NY.
Aug 1983 to May 1986--Assistant Chief, Aids to Navigation
Branch Third Coast Guard District, Governors Island, NY.
May 1986 to Jul 1989--Commanding Officer, USCGC PAPAW,
Charleston, SC.
May 1989 to Jun 1990--Student, U.S. Naval War College, Newport,
RI.
Jun 1990 to May 1993--Branch Chief, Defense Operations
Division, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
May 1993 to Jul 1995--Commanding Officer, USCGC FORWARD,
Portsmouth, VA.
Jul 1995 to May 1996--Chief, Fleet Development Team, Aids to
Navigation Division, U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington,
D.C.
May 1996 to Jul 1999--Commanding Officer, USCGC EAGLE, New
London, CT.
Jul 1999 to May 2002--Chief, Office of Congressional Affairs,
U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
May 2002 to Oct 2002--Deputy Chief of Staff, U.S. Coast Guard
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Oct 2002 to May 2004--Director of Reserve and Training, U.S.
Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
May 2004 to Apr 2006--Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District,
Cleveland, OH.
Apr 2006 to Jul 2008--Chief of Staff, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S.
Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Jul 2008 to Present--Commander, U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area,
Portsmouth, VA.
9. Attach a copy of your resume. A copy is attached.
10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other
than those listed above, within the last 5 years: None. The Coast Guard
is my only government experience.
11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise,
educational, or other institution within the last 5 years: None.
12. Please list each membership you have had during the past 10
years or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable,
educational, political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or
religious organization, private club, or other membership organization.
Include dates of membership and any positions you have held with any
organization. Please note whether any such club or organization
restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color, religion,
national origin, age, or handicap.
Member, U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association--1975 to
present.
Board of Directors 1979 to 1981.
Member, U.S. Naval Institute--1975 to present.
Member, Military Officers Association of America--2000 to
present.
Member, National Maritime Historic Society--2002 to present.
Member, New York Yacht Club--2002 to 2006.
Member, Reserve Officers Association--2002 to present.
Member, Association of Naval Service Officers--May 2002 to
present.
Member, National Naval Officers Association--May 2002 to
present.
None of these organizations restricts membership on the basis
of sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, or
handicap.
13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office
(elected, non-elected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are
personally liable for that debt.
I have never been a candidate for public office.
14. Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign
organization, political party, political action committee, or similar
entity of $500 or more for the past 10 years. Also list all offices you
have held with, and services rendered to, a state or national political
party or election committee during the same period: None.
15. List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honorary
society memberships, military medals, and any other special recognition
for outstanding service or achievements.
Military Awards
Distinguished Service Medal--for service Apr 2006-Jul 2008.
Legion of Merit--for service Oct 2004-Apr 2006.
Legion of Merit--for service Oct 2002-Apr 2004.
Legion of Merit--for service Jul 1999-May 2002.
Legion of Merit--for service May 1996-Jul 1999.
Meritorious Service Medal--for service May 1993-Jun 1995.
Meritorious Service Medal--for service Jul 1990-May 1993.
Coast Guard Commendation Medal--for service May 1986-Jun 1989.
Coast Guard Commendation Medal--for service Aug 1983-May 1986.
Coast Guard Commendation Medal--for service Jun 1981-Aug 1983.
Coast Guard Commendation Medal--for service Jan 1979-May 1981.
Coast Guard Achievement Medal--for service Jun 1977-Dec 1978.
Commandant's Letter of Commendation--for service Aug 1990-May
1991.
Special Recognition:
Distinguished Public Service Award--National Maritime Historic
Society.
Native Son Award--Norwich Rotary--Norwich, Connecticut.
Minute Man Hall of Fame--Reserve Officers Association.
16. Please list each book, article, column, or publication you have
authored, individually or with others. Also list any speeches that you
have given on topics relevant to the position for which you have been
nominated. Do not attach copies of these publications unless otherwise
instructed.
Writings:
Afterword for the reprinting of The Skipper and the EAGLE by
Captain Gordon McGowan, Sea History Press 1998.
Article--Awakening the Next Watch, Tall Ships News Issue No.
36--Summer 1998.
Article--Co-authored Maximize Maritime Partnerships, U.S. Naval
Institute Proceedings, August 2009.
Article--Co-authored Operational Analysis Can Maximize Coast
Guard Assets, U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings, January 2009.
Speeches:
Remarks For Association of Naval Service Officers (ANSO)
Quantico, Virginia, 9 April 2003.
Remarks For International Society for Performance Improvement
(ISPI) Boston, Massachusetts, 12 April 2003.
Remarks For I/ITSEC 2003, General/Flag Officer Panel, Orlando,
Florida, 2 December 2003.
Remarks For Memorial Day--Lake View Cemetery, Cleveland, Ohio,
31 May 2004.
Remarks For Northern Association of Boating Administrators
Niagara, New York, 13 June 2004.
Remarks For Memorial Ceremony at Perry's Victory and
International Peace Memorial, Put-in-Bay, Ohio, 11 September
2004.
Remarks For Veteran's Day Ceremony Lakewood, Ohio, 11 November
2004.
Remarks For Pearl Harbor Day Ceremony, Cleveland, Ohio, 7
December 2004.
Remarks For Norwich Native Son Award Ceremony, Norwich, CT, 22
June 2005.
Remarks For International Armed Forces Council, Selfridge ANGE,
MI, 14 May 2005.
Remarks For American Sail Training Association, Bay City, MI, 5
November 2005.
Remarks For Blue Coats Society, Cleveland, OH, 9 November 2005.
Remarks For Northwest Passage 50th Reunion, Reno, NV, 6
September 2007.
Remarks For Pacific North West Coast Guard Ball, Seattle. WA, 8
September 2007.
Keynote Address For Homeland Defense/Security Conference,
Colorado Springs, CO, 2 October 2007.
Remarks For CACI annual conference, Tyson's Corner, VA, 15
October 2007.
Remarks For DHS/USCG Executive Change Leadership Conference,
Washington, D.C., 19 October 2007.
Remarks For Joint Force Maritime Component Commander (JFMCC)
Flag Course at the Naval War College, Newport, RI, 2 November
2007.
Remarks For DHS Chief Administrative Officers (CAO) Forum.
Washington, D.C., 28 November 2007.
Remarks For 2007 Pearl Harbor Memorial Ceremony, Baltimore, MD,
7 December 2007.
Remarks For 20th Annual Surface Navy Association National
Symposium, Crystal City, VA, 17 January 2008.
Remarks For Association Of Naval Services Officers (ANSO),
Norfolk, VA, 2 May 2008.
Remarks For Surface Navy Association Monthly luncheon,
Arlington, VA, 14 May 2008.
Remarks For National Naval Officers Association (NNOA),
Portsmouth, VA, 23 July 2008.
Remarks For 2008 International Seapower Symposium, Venice,
Italy, 15 October 2008.
Remarks For National Maritime Historical Society (NMHS) Annual
Awards Dinner, New York, NY, 24 October 2008.
Remarks For Joint Forces Maritime Component Commander (JFMCC)
conference, Newport, RI, 30 October 2008.
Remarks For Tidewater Chapter of the Surface Navy Association
(SNA) luncheon, Norfolk, VA, 21 January 2009.
Remarks For 98th Annual Elizabeth City Area Chamber of Commerce
Dinner, Elizabeth City, NC, 2 February 2009.
Remarks For Surface Navy Association's Maritime Security Forum
Communication Forum, New London, CT, 25 March 2009.
Remarks For Institute for Defense and Government Advancement
(IDGA) Annual Maritime Homeland Security Summit, Jacksonville,
FL, 28 April 2009.
Remarks For National Naval Officers Association (NNOA)
Tidewater Chapter Scholarship Banquet, Norfolk, VA, 9 May 2009.
Remarks For Rotary Club of Camden County, Kingsland GA, 15 May
2009.
Remarks For USS Intrepid Parade of Ships Reception (Fleet
Week), New York, NY, 20 May 2009.
Remarks For the Board of the National Academy of Science (Naval
Studies Board), Norfolk, VA, 10 June 2009.
Remarks For National Naval Officers Association (NNOA),
Houston, TX, 21 July 2009.
Remarks For Long Beach Chapter of the Propeller Club, Long
Beach, CA, 20 October 2009.
Remarks For 8th Annual Maritime Security Conference & Expo,
Long Beach, CA, 20 October 2009.
Remarks for Joint Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA, 4 November
2009.
17. Please identify each instance in which you have testified
orally or in writing before Congress in a governmental or non-
governmental capacity and specify the date and subject matter of each
testimony.
26 September 2006--``International Polar Year'' Joint Hearing--
Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
26 February 2008--``Coast Guard FY 09 Budget'' House
Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation.
18. Given the current mission, major programs, and major
operational objectives of the department/agency to which you have been
nominated, what in your background or employment experience do you
believe affirmatively qualifies you for appointment to the position for
which you have been nominated, and why do you wish to serve in that
position?
I joined the Coast Guard with a desire to be a mariner and ship's
captain, carrying out Coast Guard operations. In 1999, after many years
at sea, I became the Chief of Coast Guard Congressional Affairs and
gained insight on the working functions of the executive and
legislative branches. It was my responsibility to articulate the fiscal
and policy needs of our Service, as well as the impact of our budget to
Congress. While I held this office (1999-2002), economic conditions led
to successively lower budgets, requiring tough decisions on the
allocation of resources while the Coast Guard was suffering from
obsolete and worn-out operational assets and deteriorating shore
infrastructure. Coast Guard leadership was required to focus on the
fundamental services provided by versatile and adaptable ships, boats,
and aircraft with the ability to respond to the range of our mandated
day-to-day missions, while remaining prepared for uncertain events.
Today, we face similar challenges. I have taken aggressive steps as the
Atlantic Area Commander to allocate resources based on sound risk
assessment by comparing demands and capability and making adjustments
based on expected mission performance every quarter.
Today, I feel even greater dedication to the Coast Guard and our
Country than I felt on the day I was commissioned. Service is more than
a job--it is a vocation that obligates us to responsible conduct,
accountability, and commitment to the Coast Guard's core values of
Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty. We are inspired to serve by pure
and patriotic motives, the rule of law, and have sworn to support and
defend the Constitution.
The breadth of operational and leadership experience gained during
my career has provided me with extremely useful insight into the
workings of our government and the most meaningful, efficient, and
effective ways to serve the American people. These skills and
experiences, combined with my passion and vision, have prepared me to
lead the U.S. Coast Guard as Commandant at this critical time in our
Service's history.
19. What do you believe are your responsibilities, if confirmed, to
ensure that the department/agency has proper management and accounting
controls, and what experience do you have in managing a large
organization?
You will find no one more passionate about Coast Guard service, and
my passion is guided by practical experience. To best lead the Coast
Guard, I will call upon my experiences at sea as a Commanding Officer
of four cutters; as a District Commander on the Northern Border,
working with interagency and international partners; as the Atlantic
Area Commander, overseeing over two-thirds of all Coast Guard
operations; and as Chief of Congressional Affairs and Chief of Staff of
the Coast Guard, managing all aspects of the Service's legislative,
policy, and budgetary programs.
The Coast Guard must focus on our 11 principal missions, finding
efficiencies and managing risk in operational areas. As a member of the
Coast Guard Leadership Council, I have provided detailed operational
input to reduce costs in our FY 11-16 budget development. The current
fiscal environment is an opportunity for the Coast Guard to refocus on
its value to our Country and our Department. We are the world's best
Coast Guard, providing unique services to our Nation.
I am ready to make the tough decisions that will keep our Service
focused on its maritime, military, and multi-mission capabilities. To
ensure that the Coast Guard's management and accounting controls are
transparent, understandable, and auditable, I will make a clean CFO
Audit one of my top strategic goals, while ensuring that the
acquisition, contracting, and financial management expertise required
to sustain this effort endures well after I turn over the service to a
new leader.
I will also leverage force multipliers such as technology,
modeling, and simulation to ensure every resource entrusted to us by
the public provides the greatest benefit, and make finding and
eliminating any unnecessary waste or redundancy a high priority. I will
partner with agencies within D.S., in the Department of Defense and
throughout the Federal Government to address issues of mutual concern
so that our budget is leveraged to ensure success.
20. What do you believe to be the top three challenges facing the
department/agency, and why?
The challenges that we face are as varied as they are demanding.
The American people and our partners expect clarity of purpose and
excellence in our statutory missions. Operational excellence is not
vague in its meaning; it requires focus, leadership, and the proper
tools based on a foundation of professional experience and commitment
to excellence.
The top three challenges include:
1. Balancing our missions
2. Emphasizing the quality of life of our work force
3. Working within the resource constraints and current
capabilities inherent to our service
I consider balancing our mission sets, based on operational risk,
my biggest challenge. There are wide-ranging expectations of our
service--from the fisherman off shore whose boat is sinking, to the
buoy tender ensuring the Maritime Transportation System is well
maintained.
I am committed to providing the best quality of life and
opportunity to our work force. The men and women of the Coast Guard are
our greatest asset. These young people are called to duty to serve
others at their own peril. Core mission excellence depends on our
people; we must commit to their health and well-being. We must uphold a
standard of ``people first'' that is inclusive of our entire workforce
of active, reserve, and civilian members. This approach is coupled with
the best possible use of our 30,000 person Auxiliary, whose volunteer
motivation inspires me daily.
I am dedicated to creating and sustaining a climate that supports
racial, cultural, gender, and ethnic diversity throughout the Coast
Guard. As an active member of both the National Naval Officers
Association and the Association of Naval Service Officers (the African-
American and Hispanic affinity organizations), I hear first-hand from
members of both organizations about the need to enhance our efforts to
promote diversity. In response, I have developed a detailed diversity
action plan to foster the best possible workplace environment for all
members of our Coast Guard family.
The Coast Guard has finite resources. I will demand that my
operational commanders maintain, allocate, and deploy their resources
in a responsible manner. I am committed to developing a culture of
living within our means. As a service, we must provide the best
possible value to the American public and the maritime community, with
emphasis on excellence, balance, and partnerships.
While the challenges we face are significant, I know our service is
ready and able to overcome them.
b. potential conflicts of interest
1. Describe all financial arrangements, deferred compensation
agreements, and other continuing dealings with business associates,
clients, or customers. Please include information related to retirement
accounts.
Please see my nominee PFDR.
2. Do you have any commitments or agreements, formal or informal,
to maintain employment, affiliation, or practice with any business,
association or other organization during your appointment? If so,
please explain: None.
3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other
relationships which could involve potential conflicts of interest in
the position to which you have been nominated: None.
4. Describe any business relationship, dealing, or financial
transaction which you have had during the last 10 years, whether for
yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as an agent, that could in
any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest in the
position to which you have been nominated: None.
5. Describe any activity during the past 10 years in which you have
been engaged for the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the
passage, defeat, or modification of any legislation or affecting the
administration and execution of law or public policy.
I served as the Chief of Staff, U.S. Coast Guard from 2006-2008. In
that capacity, I supervised Coast Guard Headquarters staff who
advocated for Coast Guard legislative, appropriations, and policy
agendas with Congress and government stakeholders.
I served as the Chief, Office of Congressional Affairs for the
Coast Guard 1999-2002. In that capacity, I was the Commandant's direct
representative for advocating Coast Guard legislative, appropriations,
and policy agendas with Congress and government stakeholders.
6. Explain how you will resolve any potential conflict of interest,
including any that may be disclosed by your responses to the above
items.
I will obtain advice from a Coast Guard ethics official and follow
that advice.
c. legal matters
1. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics
by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative
agency, professional association, disciplinary committee, or other
professional group? If so, please explain:No--Not Applicable.
2. Have you ever been investigated, arrested, charged, or held by
any Federal, State, or other law enforcement authority of any Federal,
State, county, or municipal entity, other than for a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No--Not Applicable.
3. Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer
ever been involved as a party in an administrative agency proceeding or
civil litigation? If so, please explain: No--Not Applicable.
4. Have you ever been convicted (including pleas of guilty or nolo
contendere) of any criminal violation other than a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No--Not Applicable.
5. Have you ever been accused, formally or informally, of sexual
harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or
any other basis? If so, please explain: No--Not Applicable.
6. Please advise the Committee of any additional information,
favorable or unfavorable, which you feel should be disclosed in
connection with your nomination.
I have nothing else to add at this time.
d. relationship with committee
1. Will you ensure that your department/agency complies with
deadlines for information set by Congressional committees? Yes.
2. Will you ensure that your department/agency does whatever it can
to protect Congressional witnesses and whistle blowers from reprisal
for their testimony and disclosures? Yes.
3. Will you cooperate in providing the Committee with requested
witnesses, including technical experts and career employees, with
firsthand knowledge of matters of interest to the Committee? Yes.
4. Are you willing to appear and testify before any duly
constituted committee of the Congress on such occasions as you may be
reasonably requested to do so? Yes.
______
resume of vice admiral robert j. papp, jr.
Objective
Commandant, United States Coast Guard
Summary
Over 34 years of active military service and experience in Coast
Guard operations, budgetary and policy development, personnel and
resource management, and congressional and maritime partnership with a
proven track record of achieving the highest levels of productivity and
efficiency. An experienced leader and program manager with exceptional
organizational, financial, communications, and people skills.
Family
Married 33 years to Linda Kapral Papp formerly of East Lyme, CT,
and a retired educator. Three daughters: Lindsay (Papp) Sher, MD,
Georgetown University Hospital; Caitlin Papp, a Fairfax County teacher;
Jillian Papp, employed in the Office of the Inspector General, DHS.
Work History
2008 to Present, Commander, Coast Guard Atlantic Area, Portsmouth,
VA
Responsible for roughly 2/3 of the Coast Guard's operations,
people, and resources. Operational commander for all Coast
Guard missions within the eastern half of the world, from the
Rocky Mountains to the Arabian Gulf, spanning an area of
responsibility that includes five Coast Guard Districts, 42
states with over 14 million square miles. Leads over 51,000
military and civilian employees and Auxiliarists.
2006 to 2008, Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard, Coast Guard,
Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Led, managed, supervised, and served as commanding officer for
all of Coast Guard Headquarters and its units for 2 years.
Supervised the performance of all Assistant Commandants and
oversaw all management (fiscal, policy, and personnel)
functions for the entire Coast Guard. Provided daily oversight
of resource issues, close-out of FY06 appropriation,
Congressional Stage and execution of FY07 and FY08 budgets, and
submission of FY09 budget. Served as witness for FY09 budget
hearing before CG&MT subcommittee. Duties now being performed
by the Vice Commandant after Modernization changes.
2004 to 2006, Commander, Ninth Coast Guard District, Cleveland, OH.
Operational commander over a region spanning 6,500 miles of
shoreline and 1,500 miles of international border with Canada
providing search and rescue, marine safety and environmental
protection, maritime law enforcement, aids to navigation and
icebreaking services.
Designated by the Secretary of the Department of Homeland
Security to serve three times as a Federal Coordinator: The
Iraqi elections in Dearborn, MI; Major league baseball's 2005
All Star Game held in Detroit, MI; and Super Bowl XL held in
Detroit, MI.
2002 to 2004, Director of Reserve, Training, and Leadership and
Diversity Staff Coast Guard Headquarters, Washington, D.C.
Served as Director of the Coast Guard Reserve and a member of
the Reserve Forces Policy Board, charged with developing
policies to recruit, train, allocate, and support over 8,000
Coast Guard Reservists. Supervised Leadership and Diversity
Staff in developing training and policy direction for the
Commandant.
1999 to 2002, Chief of Congressional Affairs and, Deputy Chief of
Staff of the Coast Guard, Washington, D.C.
Final staff assignments before making Flag rank.
Previous Assignments Afloat
Fourteen years of sea duty in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska,
Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico, including
service aboard six Coast Guard Cutters and commanding the Coast
Guard Cutters RED BEECH, PAPAW, FORWARD, and the Coast Guard's
training barque, ``America's Tall Ship'' EAGLE, visiting 16
foreign countries as a goodwill Ambassador.
Served as the task unit commander of Coast Guard cutters,
patrol boats, and aircraft during Operation ABLE MANNER off the
coast of Haiti in 1994, enforcing United Nations sanctions.
Additionally, the task unit augmented U.S. Naval Forces during
Operation UPHOLD DEMOCRACY, the mission to restore President
Aristide to power.
Previous Assignments Ashore:
Commandant of Cadets staff at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy (New
London, CT).
Aids to Navigation staff in the Third Coast Guard District (New
York, NY).
Chief of the Capabilities Branch in the Defense Operations
Division (Washington, D.C.).
Chief of the Fleet Development Team (Program manager for the
buoy tender fleet acquisition--Washington, D.C.).
Director of the Leadership Development Center (New London, CT).
Chief of the Coast Guard's Office of Congressional Affairs
(Washington, D.C.).
Deputy Chief of Staff of the Coast Guard (Washington, D.C.).
Education
B.S. Management, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, 1975.
M.A. Strategic Studies, U.S. Naval War College, 1990.
M. S. Management, Salve Regina College, 1990.
Awards and Honors
Military awards include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service
Medal, Legion of Merit (four awards), Meritorious Service Medal
(two awards), Coast Guard Commendation Medal (three awards),
Coast Guard Achievement Medal, and Commandant's Letter of
Commendation Ribbon.
Inducted into the Reserve Officers Association Minuteman Hall
of Fame in recognition of dedicated service to the Nation in
support of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve.
Presented the Distinguished Public Service Award by the
National Maritime Historical Society in 1998 for service as the
Commanding Officer of the Coast Guard Cutter EAGLE.
Presented with the ``2005 Native Son Award'' by his home town
of Norwich, Connecticut.
13th Gold Ancient Mariner of the Coast Guard, an honorary
position held by an officer, with the earliest date of
qualification as a Cutterman and over 10 years of cumulative
sea duty. Charged with keeping a close watch to ensure sea-
service traditions are continued and the time-honored
reputation of the Coast Guard is maintained.
Affiliations
U.S. Coast Guard Academy Alumni Association
U.S. Naval Institute
National Maritime Historic Society
New York Yacht Club
Reserve Officers Association
Military Officers Association of America
Association of Naval Service Officers
National Naval Officers Association
Foundation for Coast Guard History
Surface Navy Association
Security Clearance
Top Secret/SCI (updated August 2008)
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Vice Admiral.
Let us start with the Deepwater Program--and we appreciate
your wife being here and your fellow coworkers who have been so
supportive of your career. One of the major issues with the
Coast Guard and the Deepwater Acquisition Program was the fact
that the Coast Guard exempted them from the good governance
process outlined in the Coast Guard's own Major Systems
Acquisition Manual.
Will you commit that, if confirmed, the acquisitions that
happen under your tenure as Commandant will follow the Coast
Guard's Major Systems Acquisition Manual?
Admiral Papp. Yes, ma'am. In fact, we are going back under
the MSAM, the Major Systems Acquisition Manual. We are going
back and correcting some of the shortfalls we have had,
particularly in the fast response cutter. And our next major
project being the Offshore Patrol Cutter, the OPC, we are
taking strict compliance with that, and any new projects we
take on will be in strict compliance with the MSAM.
Senator Cantwell. If confirmed as Commandant, will you
commit to embracing and enforcing the acquisition principles in
reform legislation S. 1194 that is passed out of this
committee?
Admiral Papp. Yes, ma'am. And in fact, we appreciate your
stewardship and your constant oversight. I think, oftentimes,
we have well-intentioned people within the Coast Guard, but I,
in particular, having served up here, understand the need for
constant oversight and sort of, from time to time, holding our
feet to the fire. So we appreciate your oversight in this
matter, and we appreciate the legislation that is going
forward.
Senator Cantwell. What steps will you take as Commandant to
make sure that the cost estimates for the future offshore
patrol cutter acquisition are reasonable, accurate, and
transparent?
Admiral Papp. Madam Chair, I go back to OMB Circular A-123,
and in that, it says one of the most important aspects of
acquisition oversight is a commitment from leadership and clear
and strong ethical leadership. I am committed to giving that
leadership, and I have taken a personal interest in the
offshore patrol cutter, having a chance to review the
operational requirements that we are going through right now to
make sure that is a ship that, first of all, will be designed
and built according with the MSAM, that it will be affordable--
nothing more than we need, but nothing less than we need--and
that we will work and have fair and open competition to make
sure that we get the best price for it.
Senator Cantwell. You mentioned the National Security
Cutter. Will you seek outside expertise to validate that the
Coast Guard is getting a fair price for these ships?
Admiral Papp. I think that that is a critical part of
everything that we do is get an outside analysis of any of our
costs. I am tremendously concerned about the cost growth that
we have experienced, but we have taken great strides right now
with we are currently under negotiations with Northrop Grumman
for Hull Number 4 on a fixed-price contract. And I think as
long as we have a constant funding stream and can depend upon
predictable funding in the out-years, we should be able to keep
those costs down.
Senator Cantwell. Funding was never the problem. In fact,
the fact was that we had a blank check given to the Coast Guard
and, as you said, the MSAM manual thrown out the door.
So just one more question, and then I will turn it over to
my colleagues. I am sure they have questions as well. The issue
of a Lead System Integrator. Are you committed to completely
end the use of private sector lead system integrators for the
Coast Guard acquisition?
Admiral Papp. Madam Chair, absolutely. In fact, we are
almost extracted from using outside sources for the LSI right
now. It has been a very rigorous and challenging process for us
to get the Coast Guard in a position where we can take over as
lead system integrator for all our projects. And as soon as we
have the contractual arrangements that we have with Integrated
Deepwater Systems expire, within about a year or so, I believe,
we will have taken that on completely.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Senator Snowe, do you have questions?
Senator Snowe. Yes. Welcome, Admiral Papp.
In reference to my earlier remarks regarding the budget and
this reduction of $340 million over the Fiscal Year 2010, which
is really the first reduction that the Coast Guard has
experienced since 2001, since 9/11. So it does represent a
significant reduction, given the multi-mission agency that the
Coast Guard represents.
So it will include a reduction of more than 1,100 in
personnel. You will have fewer ships in 2011, fewer aircraft,
fewer port security units, and obviously, fewer personnel. So,
given all these reductions, how can you perform the same
missions at the same level with the exceptional demands not
only for fishery enforcement, search and rescue, humanitarian
missions--as I mentioned earlier--homeland security issues.
Certainly, across the spectrum, you have had numerous
challenges.
And obviously, the unforeseen, the unpredictable, as we saw
with the earthquake in Haiti, for example. A few years ago,
Hurricane Katrina. So how do you intend to proceed with this
budgetary cut?
Admiral Papp. Thank you, Senator.
That has been my life for the last 2 years. When you are
responsible for two-thirds of the Coast Guard's operations
worldwide and you have finite resources, we have a process that
we go through called a standard operational planning process
that takes strategic guidance from headquarters and program
goals, transmits them down to me as the operational commander.
I take my finite resources and apply them across all the
various claimants in the programs--for instance, to the five
district commanders, to SOUTHCOM, and JDIF South--to distribute
those ships.
We also--from time to time, we have had basically a de
facto decommissioning the last 2 years because my two major
cutters that I have, GALLATIN and DALLAS, were in such bad
shape we had to lay them up in the shipyard in Charleston,
South Carolina, for nearly a year and a half. So I was down two
ships, and our planning process allows us to adjust the
remaining ships across the various mission sets, and the
adaptability of those ships allows us to conduct the missions.
We have experienced great budget growth over the last 8
years. I am hopeful that the Fiscal Year 2011 budget is just a
minor course correction that will allow us to get back on track
in the out-years. And I think right now we have made a
reasonable tradeoff in the budget to be able to continue to buy
new ships, decommission some of the older ones that are getting
very, very costly for us to maintain, and I think we will be
able to continue to meet all our mission demands and goals this
particular year.
But what we will be faced with is we won't have that
cushion. We won't have that bench strength to fall back on if
there is some unplanned, unexpected event, or if, for some
reason, we have major casualties on any of our ships or
aircraft.
Senator Snowe. Yes. So you really will be challenged beyond
this year. Even with this reduction, you may well be, too,
given the state of the fleet and very little latitude. There is
not much room for fiscal maneuverability in your budget given
the inordinate demands.
Admiral Papp. Senator, what I think we can't afford to do
is in this particular year, we are decommissioning 4 of our
378-foot cutters. We have brought on the two National Security
Cutters, and in fact, the Congress has paid for two more crews
for two follow-on cutters. What we can't afford to do is
decommission four and bring on two. If we decommission more
next year and we only get one more national security cutter,
obviously, we are going to dig ourselves into a deeper hole.
Senator Snowe. Well, I think it brings me to the question
of whether or not we should accelerate the acquisition process.
Is it possible to do that?
Admiral Papp. In the short term, no. But I think on a
reasoned plan--I think part of the challenge that we have is
having a 5-year plan where both the contractors and the Coast
Guard can plan out and adjust all our acquisitions. The problem
is if we have variations from year-to-year, we end up having to
diminish or reduce the numbers of certain of our acquisition
products, whether it is boats or ships, which then throws an
unpredictability that the contractors will then raise prices
because of uncertainty and increased overhead and the increase
in prices for getting long lead items, et cetera.
Senator Snowe. Have you examined the whole question of the
acquisition process now that the Coast Guard is going to be
assuming it, taking over from the lead systems integrator?
Admiral Papp. Yes, ma'am. In fact, my involvement actually
goes back about 4 years when Admiral Allen brought me in as the
Chief of Staff, and we started experiencing these problems with
Deepwater. I brought in then-Rear Admiral John Currier, who was
Chief of Acquisitions at the time. We brought in the Defense
Acquisition University, two professors. And in fact, John
Higbee, one of them, is now at the department as the Director
of Acquisition Program Management for DHS.
I tasked Admiral Currier with coming up with a blueprint
for acquisition reform. We are in about our fourth version of
that right now, and in fact, Admiral Currier is now back as
Vice Admiral Currier and as our Deputy Commandant for Mission
Support and overseeing that program. And hopefully, pending
confirmation here, I will make him part of the senior
leadership team so we can continue that oversight of improving
our acquisition program.
Senator Snowe. The GAO testified before a House committee
in April of last year, saying that 16 percent of the
acquisition personnel were vacant within the Coast Guard. Is
that still true?
Admiral Papp. No, ma'am. We have reduced that down to about
10 percent right now. We are challenged, just as every agency
in the area is challenged, for acquisition professionals. They
are in high demand. Yet we have done pretty good. We are up now
within the Acquisition Directorate to 950 people with just
around a 10 percent vacancy rate, both on the military and
civilian side.
And it is not just filling billets as well. We have 630
people within there that have achieved at least Level 1
acquisition certification. And I think our personnel are doing
very good. There are a few personnel management tools that we
are looking at that might help us out, like direct hiring, that
would help us to continue that and other incentives. But we are
doing very strong right now.
Senator Snowe. Thank you.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Senator Isakson, do you have questions?
STATEMENT OF HON. JOHNNY ISAKSON,
U.S. SENATOR FROM GEORGIA
Senator Isakson. Thank you, Madam Chairman.
Admiral, welcome. I appreciate your visit to my office the
other day.
Admiral Papp. Good morning, Senator.
Senator Isakson. I have really two questions. One, the
President's budget, when it was released in February, first,
cut the corps by about--the Coast Guard by about $75 million,
if I am not mistaken. And it portends it will move the St.
Marys, New Orleans, San Francisco, New York MSST units to
someplace else. Being that St. Marys is in Georgia, and I think
it is a wonderful location for that type of a team, I am
wondering what is your feeling about that recommendation,
number one?
And understanding also that they are deployable assets, is
there some deployment reason for moving them? Or what would be
the reason for moving them?
Admiral Papp. Senator, what we are doing is in the Fiscal
Year 2011 budget, we actually proposed to cut 5 of the 12
MSSTs. One of those, of course, being in Kings Bay, Georgia. I
have been down--we have had experience now for 6 years with the
MSSTs. They were a unit that was not in the Coast Guard before
September 11th, and they were created afterwards with a plan.
But now we have had a chance for 6 years to see how they
operate, see how we are using them, and we have determined that
as part of our reassessment of our capabilities, reorganizing
and perhaps regionalizing a little bit more, we can make use of
the seven remaining ones a little bit better.
The other thing we look at as well is what other resources
are available? For instance, in Kings Bay, and I went down
there personally last year to inspect the process for escorting
the submarines in and out of the base. The MSST got there
early, 6 years ago, and we were using them for security
operations. We now, through the Navy, we have actually got the
Navy to resource paying for Coast Guard patrol boats and Coast
Guard people to create something called the Maritime Force
Protection Unit.
And that is something that didn't exist 6 years ago. It is
very expensive, but the Navy is paying for it, and it gives us
that added measure of security that makes the MSST in Kings Bay
almost redundant at this point.
And the fact of the matter is that MSST was used for
deployments all over the country and was not always there. So
in trying to balance out regionally and also look at what other
resources do we have to take care of our responsibilities
locally, that was an appropriate reduction at that location.
Senator Isakson. So you will be sharing those--closing
those units and sharing those assets with the seven remaining
units. You are not moving those five units to create a new unit
somewhere?
Admiral Papp. That is correct. Yes, Senator.
Senator Isakson. Second, and I mentioned this to you when
we met before, but it is my understanding there has been a
member of the House that has proposed legislation that would
change the selection process for the Academy to one of a
nomination process from Congress versus the current situation
that you have. The Coast Guard people that I know--and one of
my partners in business years ago was a Coast Guard man, and he
called me on that issue. And they seem to be pretty
universally--the alumni of the Academy--in opposition to that.
I wonder if you had a position on that?
Admiral Papp. I do, Senator. And thank you for giving me
that question.
I think that our cadet candidate process has worked well
for well over 100 years. This is always awkward to come up here
and say that we don't need Congressional appointments. But the
fact of the matter is we have had a very competitive program
that has brought good candidates into our Academy for many,
many years with the absence of Congressional appointments, and
also it is a very small place. We bring in usually about 300
people a year.
The reason this has become an issue and the reason that I
am concerned about it as the potential Commandant is we have
had difficulty moving the needle on increasing our diversity at
the Coast Guard Academy. Unfortunately, we still remain
predominantly white male. We have made great progress in women.
We are up to about 30 percent women. But Hispanics, African
Americans, Asians, and other ethnic categories we just haven't
done that well.
I think the House effort was a well-intentioned way of
trying to come up with increasing diversity through using
Congressional appointments. While I appreciate the interest,
the oversight, and the suggestion, I think that by taking
recruiting and getting out into communities that we have not
necessarily been before, we could do better in terms of
bringing in and increasing the diversity that we need.
So we appreciate the support and the oversight. I think we
need to do the work on our side to get out into those
communities where we can get those diverse candidates so that
we can drop down any barriers for entry to the Coast Guard
Academy and increase the diversity of our service.
Senator Isakson. Well, thank you for that answer.
And just one final comment. I had the occasion 2 years ago
to visit the Coast Guard unit at the Port of Savannah and
actually fly out with them to the outer marker on a check of a
cargo ship coming in that didn't have a known shipper manifest
on it.
And I don't think the public has as much appreciation as
they should for the job the Coast Guard is doing at our most
critical points, and that is the ports around the country,
which would be a natural place for someone that wanted to do
some harm to do it. I just wanted to tell you I was extremely
impressed with the capability and the professionalism and the
work that those men and women were putting in to protect the
Port of Savannah, which I am sure is the same they do for
Jacksonville and Charleston and New York. So I just wanted to
compliment you on that.
Admiral Papp. Thank you, Senator.
Senator Isakson. Thank you.
Senator Cantwell. Senator LeMieux?
STATEMENT OF HON. GEORGE S. LeMIEUX,
U.S. SENATOR FROM FLORIDA
Senator LeMieux. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Welcome here today, Vice Admiral. Good to see you again.
Admiral Papp. Good to see you, Senator.
Senator LeMieux. A couple of introductory remarks. First of
all, as the State in the union besides Alaska with the longest
coastline, we deeply appreciate the work that the Coast Guard
does. With the State with the most boaters, we know the
important work that you do. You are such an essential part of
Florida. So thank you for the good work that the men and women
of the Coast Guard do.
Second, I want to commend the Coast Guard on the work that
you did in Haiti. You were among the first there, and we had an
opportunity, when the earthquake happened, to be in Miami and
to work with your staff in making sure that those cutters got
there as quickly as possible. And I know they did and continue
to do extraordinary work. So thank you for that.
For my questions, I want to focus on something that has
already previously been discussed by Senator Snowe, and that is
the cuts in the proposed budget. And specifically of the $350
million cut, I want to speak about the cut to the
counternarcotics effort. The administration's proposal achieves
savings by cutting the amount of narcotics the Coast Guard will
have as a goal for interception from 18.5 percent to 15
percent.
Now as you know, I am very interested in the work that you
do and the work that you do out of JIATF South, out of Key
West, in stopping the interdiction of narcotics, fighting the
movement of narcotics into our country. So I want you to speak
as to whether or not you feel you can continue to fulfill that
specific mission with these cuts.
Admiral Papp. Senator, yes. For this year, we can. As I
said, in the Atlantic Area, we are going to see no reductions
in ships on the Atlantic side. The Pacific Area side, we will
be able to adjust because of the two National Security Cutters
that will be operating out there, and I think for this next
year, we have the resources to be able to keep our performance
up in the counterdrug mission.
I have been doing this for 2 years. I have been adjusting
ships down there to try to achieve the results, and we will
continue to do that. I have also--if confirmed, I also have a
secondary role, a collateral duty, I would say, which is
Director of the Interdiction Committee. And I have had a chance
to meet with the Interdiction Committee and with Director
Kerlikowske of ONDCP. I know that the standards for
interdiction and the transit zone are constantly being looked
at and adjusted.
I haven't seen the final determinations on that, but at
least at the last TIC meeting, we were intent on increase our
interdictions each year. That becomes increasingly challenging
because of the changing methods of the drug smugglers, but we
are adapting our tactics at the same time. And there are ways
even with fewer ships, through better intelligence and putting
armed helicopters out there and other tactics, that we can keep
our productivity up.
Senator LeMieux. I am glad you mentioned helicopters. My
next question to you was do you have all the tools you need to
do this job? Do you need more armed helicopters? Do you need
more resources, like night vision goggles? Tell us what you
need to do the best job you can.
Admiral Papp. We are doing very well on our helicopter
program, and we also get support from the Navy. I talk in my
goals about strengthening partnerships. One of our longest,
most-enduring partnerships is with the United States Navy, and
we put law enforcement teams both on their ships, and we also
put tactical gunners in their helicopters. So they are a force
multiplier for us.
Right now, they are restricted to daytime use, but we are
going to provide the training to the Navy so we can use them
for nighttime use as well.
We currently have the resources we need. Helicopter
interdiction squadron down in Jacksonville is providing a good
product. We generally have three to four of those helicopters
deployed at any one time, and I would say we have the resources
for that mission we need right now.
Senator LeMieux. I just want to conclude this piece by
commenting on the fact that we are all reading the newspapers
about the violence in Mexico with the drug cartels. I recently
had a trip to Colombia, and we have a wonderful partnership
with the Colombian government trying to stop the movement of
narcotics, specifically cocaine, out of Colombia up through
Central America. And you all play a critical role in that,
along with the Navy and our other law enforcement partners, DEA
and others.
And I want to mention to you something that I mentioned to
Admiral Olson, General Petraeus and General Fraser, and that
is--and I think we talked about this, but I want to say it for
the benefit of the Committee--I have a growing concern about
Venezuela. There are recent reports of Venezuela conspiring
with Spanish extremists to kill President Uribe. A Spanish
judge has put that allegation forward.
We know that Hezbollah and Hamas are in Latin America. We
know that Iran is trying to project its influence, and I am
worried that it is not going to just be counternarcotics that
are being trafficked through those routes. So I want to make
the point to you and to this committee that we continue to
focus on the problems that we are having in that region. And I
think the work that you and the Coast Guard do is critical to
that. Would you care to comment on that?
Admiral Papp. Thank you, Senator, I would.
I agree with you. I think our Colombian partners are really
heroic in terms of what they are doing. In my capacity as the
Atlantic Area commander and also the Commandant, Admiral Allen,
we attend the International Sea Power Symposiums. We have
worked with the Colombian CNO. The Coast Guard ends up being
the de facto Navy for SOUTHCOM. SOUTHCOM, while they have the
Fourth Fleet, doesn't often have many ships assigned to it. So
we are the fleet for SOUTHCOM, working for JDIF South.
And I think that the Coast Guard can play a more
significant role in terms of providing stability, rule of law,
an example for an area of the world that sometimes we forget
about a little bit. I can recall pulling into Venezuela
probably 10 years ago with my Coast Guard cutter, and at that
time, they were our big partners and we were having problems
with Colombia.
So I think we need to sustain an effort in the Caribbean
with Central and South America. And also another point you
brought up in terms of the border. Constant work in the
interdiction zone needs to be done because once those drugs get
ashore in Mexico, they are going to come across our border at
some point, and that is where all the violence is occurring.
But if we clamp down on the violence on the border, which
we probably should, they can expand out to the maritime as
well. And we need a Coast Guard presence in the maritime,
working with our Mexican partners, to make sure that we cutoff
that avenue as well. Otherwise, they will just go out and
around the border.
Senator LeMieux. Thank you, Vice Admiral.
And thank you Madam Chair.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Senator Klobuchar?
STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
Greetings, Vice Admiral.
Admiral Papp. Good morning, Senator.
Senator Klobuchar. Congratulations on your nomination. We
are going to go on a little journey from the waters of Mexico
and South America to the lakes of Minnesota.
But before we get there, I did want to note that Senator
LeMieux and I both went to Haiti and were, again, impressed--I
want to reiterate what he said--with the work the Coast Guard
did there. And we are also grateful for the work of the Coast
Guard's Ninth District, which has jurisdiction over the Great
Lakes and northern Minnesota lakes, and the Eighth District,
which works to address our shipping needs on the Mississippi
River and across southern Minnesota as well. So thank you for
that work.
So here we go. We have an issue that may not be on your
radar screen, but I was shocked when I was in northern
Minnesota this past summer and through the fall when I would go
to our smaller towns up there, which are very tourism-based,
how much they brought up the Coast Guard and not always in a
positive way. And I think there may be a way to resolve this
problem, but they are fearful. And let me explain why.
First of all, as you know, our committee has been very
focused on tourism. One out of eight Americans are employed in
tourism in this country. We just passed the Tourism Act, which
is going to help us to bring in foreign tourists, including
some that come to northern Minnesota from Canada and elsewhere,
and also going to help us to move the visas faster so that we
can buildup our tourism market. We have lost a huge market
share to other countries in the world, and so we want to change
that.
So let me just read this article for you that was in the
St. Paul Pioneer Press, and I have another one from the Ely
Timberjay that I will submit for the record.
[The information referred to follows:]
Pioneer Press, St. Paul, Minnesota, December 16, 2009
Strict Coast Guard License Rules Threaten Minnesota Outfitters, Fishing
Guides: Feds Dusting off 40-year-old Set of Strict Requirements
By Chris Niskanen
As a canoe outfitter at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness, Blayne Hall has seen his business ravaged by windstorms and
challenged by wilderness lawsuits and regulations.
His latest nemesis: the long arm of the U.S. Coast Guard.
Hundreds of Minnesota fishing guides, outfitters and tour operators
are facing expensive safety regulations enforced by the U.S. Coast
Guard that include, among other things, random drug testing.
The Coast Guard has notified Minnesota commercial outfitters and
guides that unless they have a Federal ``Six Pack'' license, they no
longer can operate their small boats on federally navigable waters,
such as the Mississippi River, the St. Croix River or many lakes in
northern Minnesota.
It includes some waters in the BWCAW, where small operators such as
Hall use motorboats to shuttle canoeists and where local guides show
anglers where to catch fish.
The Six Pack license requires commercial boat operators to pass a
lengthy test on navigation and boat safety; have CPR certification;
pass a physical and health examination; prove they have three to 12
months of on-water boating experience; submit three personal
references; and pass a drug test. They also must be 18 years or older.
Boat operators and guides also are required to have a
Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or TWIC, which
requires a background check called a Federal ``security threat
assessment'' to ensure operators aren't a threat to secure harbors.
To Hall, the requirements sound not just absurd, but like a serious
blow to his business.
``The Ely community is absolutely petrified by this,'' said Hall,
owner of Hall and Williams Outfitters on Moose Lake and president of
the Ely Area Tourism Board.
``I have high school kids who drive towboats up and down the lake
all summer. Are they going to make them pee in a bottle?''
The licenses and drug and physical testing cost about $600, but
most applicants have to take a special course costing $700 to $1,000 to
prepare for the Six Pack test.
Dick ``Griz'' Grzywinski, of St. Paul, a well-known fishing guide,
was ordered off local rivers last summer by the U.S. Coast Guard and
told to get a Six Pack license.
He signed up for the class this fall and studied a 350-page
textbook but failed the test in November.
``I can't pass it. My living is shot,'' Grzywinski said Tuesday.
``The test asks you questions like, `How many green lights are there on
a mine sweeper?' I guess there are three.''
A U.S. Coast Guard spokesman said the Six Pack license requirement,
which applies to commercial boat operators with six or fewer
passengers, has been on the books for 40 years but hasn't been widely
enforced until now.
The TWIC requirement became law last spring.
U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, D-Minn., is chairman of the House
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which oversees the Coast
Guard.
Oberstar spokesman John Schadl said the Congressman's staff has met
with Coast Guard officials to devise a new, less stringent licensing
requirement for small-boat operators.
Schadl said the new license should be inexpensive and not require
guides and boat operators to travel a long distance to get it.
``I believe the current proposal is being reviewed in the D.C.
(Coast Guard) headquarters,'' Schadl said. ``They (the Coast Guard)
have the ability to make these rules practical and workable.
``We're hoping something will be out soon. Certainly, we want this
resolved by spring for the fishing season,'' he said.
Coast Guard officials say the licensing requirement is to protect
the public.
``The Coast Guard's primary goal is to ensure the safety and
security of people using U.S. navigable waters,'' Lt. Dave French said
in an e-mail. He is a spokesman for the Coast Guard's 9th district,
based in Cleveland, which oversees northern Minnesota.
French acknowledged that the Coast Guard is looking at less onerous
licensing options for fishing guides and boat operators. ``We intend to
work as quickly as possible on this,'' he said.
The rules are being enforced on the Mississippi, St. Croix and
Minnesota rivers, as well as the lakes connected to the Mississippi,
such as Winnibigoshish. Other waters that are considered federally
navigable include Lake of the Woods, Upper Red Lake, Lake Vermilion,
Gull Lake, the Whitefish Chain and Lake Mille Lacs.
Tom Neustrom, a fishing guide based in Grand Rapids, said he fears
the Coast Guard will crack down on fishing guides this spring, giving
little time for anyone to get a license.
``We'd be out of business,'' he said, adding that in 32 years, he
has never heard of an accident involving a fishing guide in northern
Minnesota.
Hall held an emergency meeting of the Ely Outfitters Association on
Tuesday to talk about the requirements. About 25 business owners,
guides and outfitters showed up. Hall said he and others left the
meeting worried that the Coast Guard's solution still might force some
operators out of business.
He said outfitters have been in contact with Oberstar's office.
``They make (the new proposal) sound like a lollipop, but the
devil's in the detail,'' Hall said. He added that outfitters and their
craft are either regulated or inspected by the U.S. Forest Service,
Homeland Security, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and
the county sheriff's office.
``Now we're going to have the U.S. Coast Guard and guys with
machine guns on our lakes?'' Hall said. ``This just sends shudders
through our community.''
______
Ely Timberjay, November 3, 2009
Coast Guard to Step up Enforcement on Many Area Lakes
By Marshall Helmberger
Coast Guard officials in Duluth say they're planning a major
enforcement effort on federally-navigable waters throughout the border
country, and the fallout to local outfitters, fishing guides and others
who carry passengers for hire could be significant.
Word of the Coast Guard's push was made official this week during a
lightly-attended meeting in Tower. Mike Lebsack, commander of the Coast
Guard's Marine Safety Unit in Duluth told a small group of area fishing
guides that they will be subject to Federal licensing and other
requirements if they operate on federally-navigable waters. That
designation includes all of the big border lakes, such as Basswood,
Crane, La Croix, and Namakan, as well as Lake Vermilion and Moose Lake,
near Ely.
According to Lebsack, the enforcement push is part of an effort to
ensure the safety of visitors to the area. ``I think we all want the
same things for our visitors,'' said Lebsack. ``We want them to have a
safe and memorable trip to northern Minnesota.''
The planned Coast Guard initiative isn't the result of any new
laws. ``Most of these regulations have been on the books since 1968,''
said Lebsack, who noted it was a lack of resources that prevented
effective enforcement in the past. But in the wake of some prominent
fatal accidents in other parts of the country in recent years, Congress
appropriated more funding for enforcement, said Lebsack. ``This is
happening all across the country. It's got high level support within
the Coast Guard and it's not going away,'' he added.
While few would dispute the stated goal of the Coast Guard's
efforts, there is already plenty of criticism of their approach. ``I'd
say fifty percent of the guides on Vermilion are totally against it,''
said Cliff Wagenbach, of Cliff's Guide Service, who works mostly on
Lake Vermilion. ``I think some others are for it, because they think it
will eliminate some of the competition.''
Some guides are already worried they could be among those operators
forced out of business. Terry Sjoberg, who operates Ace Guide Service,
and gets around with the assistance of a cane, worries whether he could
pass the required physical or whether he's mobile enough for the
mandatory CPR training.
Those requirements are just two on a laundry list of steps that
operators will need to take to obtain a Federal license and
identification card. All boat operators will now have to pass a
training course, a background check, and a drug screening. They also
must be enrolled in a random drug and alcohol testing program.
Completing the list won't come cheaply. A Coast Guard document
indicates the required training course will cost $750, while the
obtaining a federally-issued identification card runs $132.50. In
addition, operators will also need to pay for drug testing, physicals,
and CPR and first aid training. All together, it's likely to run $1,200
to $1,300 said Sjoberg, The license is good for 5 years, which reduces
the annual cost, but Sjoberg says it's enough expense and hassle that
some of the part-time guides may just give it up.
Wagenbach agrees. ``It will eliminate a lot of guides, or make
crooks out them,'' he said.
Towboats a special challenge
If fishing guides are concerned, the outlook for towboat operators
could be even more problematic, since most rely heavily on high school
and college students to operate their boats during the three-month
summer season. Blayne Hall, of Williams and Hall Outfitters on Moose
Lake, said the impact of requiring each of those students to obtain
Federal licensure and be enrolled in drug testing programs would be
enormous. ``If this does happen, it would be the most ridiculous
affront to the people of the area,'' he said. ``I can not imagine these
guys really wanting to fight this battle.''
Hall questions whether the Coast Guard understands how burdensome
the new regulations could be. ``They want a college kid who runs a boat
up and down the lake with canoes to have the same licensure as someone
captaining a fishing trawler in the Gulf of Mexico. It would sure be a
huge economic impact to the area.'' Hall notes that the Coast Guard has
made similar enforcement pushes in the past, only to suspend their
plans in the face of a host of political and logistic pitfalls.
Ely Mayor Roger Skraba said he doesn't think that's the case this
time. ``The Coast Guard is not going to back down,'' he said. ``I want
my constitutents to understand that this is for real.'' Skraba said
he's asked the Coast Guard to hold a second informational meeting in
the next few weeks, in Ely, to get the word out to more affected
business owners.
Skraba said operators will either have to adapt to the new
regulations or fight for changes. ``Maybe now we need to get Sen.
Klobuchar and Franken and Congressman Oberstar in a room and get some
changes made. ``We want the public to know it's going to be safe, but
it's unrealistic to impose standards designed for ocean travel,'' he
said.
Lebsack said the Coast Guard isn't trying to put people out of
business, and he said he plans to work with operators to help them
comply with the laws. ``There is some room in the rules for relief for
some special situations,'' said Lebsack. ``I understand it's difficult,
there's just no way around it,'' he said.
Both Lebsack and Skraba said they will work toward establishing the
required training courses at Vermilion Community College to make it
more accessible to operators in the Ely and Tower area.
Penalties could be severe
While the expense and hassle of compliance could prompt some guides
or other boat operators to try to skirt the rules, that could prove
very costly, according to Lebsack. ``If an operator is found operating
without a license, or outside the scope of their license, the fine
could be as much $27,500. That's the maximum,'' Lebsack said. Failure
to be enrolled in a required drug testing program is subject to fines
up to $5,500.
If such fines are sufficient, the Coast Guard has investigative
powers that could thwart any efforts to get around the rules. For
example, the Coast Guard can obtain an individual's tax records to see
if they reported income from guiding. It's such powers that concern
guides like Sjoberg, who worries he could be investigated if he can't
pass a physical to get licensed. ``Will they be looking through my tax
returns, or harassing me on the lake, to see if I'm still guiding?'' he
asked.
Wagenbach agreed. ``It's going to be a real pain.''
Senator Klobuchar. But this one says, ``As a canoe
outfitter at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area
Wilderness, Blaine Hall has seen his business ravaged by
windstorms and challenged by wilderness lawsuits and
regulations.'' His latest nemesis--the long arm of the U.S.
Coast Guard. Hundreds of Minnesota fishing guides, outfitters,
and tour operators are facing expensive safety regulations
enforced by the Coast Guard that include, among other things,
drug testing.
``The Coast Guard has notified Minnesota commercial
outfitters and guides that unless they have a Federal six-pack
license, they can no longer operate their small boats on
federally navigable waters, such as the Mississippi River, the
Saint quarry, or many lakes, if not all lakes, in northern
Minnesota.''
``It includes some waters in the BWCA''--and to give you a
sense of what these guys are doing--``where small operators use
motorboats to shuttle canoeists and where local guides show
anglers where to catch fish.''
And the problem is that these guys don't make a lot of
money. Their profit margin is incredibly small, and the cost of
these licenses can be something like $1,500 when you add in all
the tests and things that they would need annually.
I support the Coast Guard on its mission to ensure safe
vessel operations and homeland security, but these license
burdens, which, by the way, from what I understand from
Congressman Oberstar--we have been working this together--these
laws have been in effect since the late 1960s, but there has
been this newfound zeal to enforce them on these small lakes in
northern Minnesota. I just don't see the relationship with the
security threats and what we are doing here.
So I understand a working group of Coast Guard officials
from headquarters and regional offices across the Nation have
been working to find a solution that minimizes the immediate
impact and burden of these licensing requirements. And in fact,
today, officials from Coast Guard Region 9 in Cleveland are in
St. Paul to discuss this matter with my staff and with the
commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
So could you give an update? Are you aware of this issue
and maybe some sensibility here as we move forward in setting
priorities? I don't know if you have seen Babe the Blue Ox and
the Paul Bunyan statues in Bemidji, but it probably shouldn't
be the targeted area for security issues. Vice Admiral Papp?
Admiral Papp. Senator, that is a great question. And
actually, it is dead square in my radar screen, and I think the
key word you used was ``sensibility.'' I was the Ninth District
Commander back 4 years ago. I have been to International Falls.
I have canoed and boated on the Boundary Waters, and I have
visited the lakes. I have seen the Babe the Blue Ox and Paul
Bunyan.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Well, I never thought you would
answer this this way. So I am impressed.
[Laughter.]
Admiral Papp. And I have actually posed by the giant--I
think it is a pike that is out in front of one of the places up
there.
Senator Klobuchar. Yes.
Admiral Papp. Look, when the Maritime Transportation
Security Act was passed, it put requirements out there. And
what is that? Perhaps 5 or 6 years old right now. We were in
the aftermath of 9/11. And I think when laws are written,
sometimes there are unintended consequences that come up. And I
don't think when the law was written we ever intended to take
mom-and-pop canoe guides and subject them to transportation
worker identification cards and other things.
And as I have told the Ninth District Commander, Admiral
Neffenger, who is the one that is looking into this for me, I
said if you have got enough resources to be able to start going
out into the Boundary Waters, perhaps I need to redistribute
some of your resources to some of our other challenging
missions.
Senator Klobuchar. That is a good answer.
Admiral Papp. So, on the other hand, when a consumer, when
a vacationer, when a tourist goes out and they pay their money
to someone that is going to take them out on the water, there
is a safety concern as well, and we want to make sure that
person is qualified. So where is the balance between making
sure that we have safe operators and security?
I think there is little risk for security out there, from
what I have seen. Yet we do want to have safety. So there is
probably some degree of licensing, some degree of training that
the operators should rightly go through. We need to find a
reasonable balance in that, and that is what we have our people
working on with the DNR out there today.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Well, I really appreciate that
because you just can imagine with the economic times as
difficult as they are, these guys have been up against it
anyway. Tourism is down nationally, and this is just one more
thing they can't afford.
So if there is any way that we can work this out to lessen
this burden, significantly lessen this burden, it would be very
helpful. So I appreciate your pledge to do that.
Thank you.
Admiral Papp. Yes, Senator. We will do that.
Senator Cantwell. Just a few more questions, Vice Admiral.
In recent years, we have seen a significant environmental
and economic damage from major oil spills in various parts of
the country--California, Louisiana, Texas. Are you committed to
maintaining the Coast Guard's capacity for oil spill response,
and are you committed to finalizing the unfinished rulemaking
for things like non-tank vessel response plans?
Admiral Papp. Senator, I am. In fact, rulemaking in general
is something that I want to give a lot of attention to. I
recognize fully that we have a significant backlog of
rulemaking, whether it is ballast water or any of the other
things that are currently out there that we need to push
forward on, and we will take a renewed effort on that.
In terms of capacity for oil spills, yes, we do. But that
also we have to talk once again about we don't have enough
resources to do everything. We need to leverage partnerships.
And it has been my view that over the past at least decade or
so, the oil response companies that are out there that are in
this to make money and to be available do a pretty darn good
job. And it is almost to the point now where the Coast Guard
can sit back a little bit and supervise and organize and hold
people accountable.
But the OSROs that are out there are just doing a fine job.
We just had an oil spill recently in the Eighth District in
Port Arthur, Texas, and they did a magnificent job in cleaning
up under Coast Guard supervision.
Senator Cantwell. So where is the rulemaking on non-tank
vessel plans? Where would you put that?
Admiral Papp. I don't have an answer for you, Senator. I
will certainly look into it, and we can provide an answer for
it. I have been away from headquarters for a couple of years
now, not involved in the rulemaking process.
I am certainly going to give that my attention, and I can
report back to you in terms of what the priorities are as we
see it and as we work with the department to push those
forward.
Senator Cantwell. I think that that would be very helpful.
I think from past Commandants' experience, what happens is we
end up having an oil spill. We end up having a hearing about
it. Then we find out that there is this long list of rulemaking
that hasn't been done, and obviously, there is a prioritization
there.
And I think at least the Subcommittee would like to
understand what the priorities are on various rulemakings so
that we can give comment to that level of importance and get a
timeframe, as opposed to when an accident happens just seeing
this long list and saying there is a backlog. Does that sound
reasonable?
Admiral Papp. Yes, Senator. That is completely reasonable.
Yes, ma'am.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
And can you commit to me and others that you will work with
this committee on the future of the Coast Guard's polar
icebreaker fleet and the best way to determine how to move
forward on recapitalization of that fleet?
Admiral Papp. Absolutely, Madam Chair. This is going to be
a very significant challenge, particularly during the time
proposed for me to be Commandant.
I served in Alaska my first tour. I understand the
challenges of the Arctic. And taking my lessons from working up
on the Great Lakes, which were frozen over most of the time,
whether the water is hard or soft, Title XIV gives the Coast
Guard responsibilities for carrying out the full range of our
missions. And that does not go away up in the Arctic, and we
know that there is more open water up there, and we need to be
able to determine the resources we are going to need to be able
to carry out those missions up there.
Senator Cantwell. And would you say that the conditions are
continuing to change in the Arctic, and there is a need for a
larger Coast Guard presence in the region?
Admiral Papp. I am not a scientist, and I really can't
comment on global warming. All I know is there is much more
open water up there right now. We are seeing increased traffic,
whether it is sailors going up there recreationally, cruise
ships starting to venture up there, and I suspect in the
future, we will see commercial traffic trying to take shorter
routes through the Arctic. Traffic will increase, and we have
virtually no presence right now unless we redeploy assets from
further down in Alaska or further down on the west coast.
So it has got my interest. We need to give it attention,
and I will work with the Committee. Yes, ma?am.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Senator Snowe, do you have any follow-up questions?
Senator Snowe. Yes, thank you, Madam Chair.
Admiral Papp, regarding port security and homeland
security, I noticed as well in the budget that there will be an
elimination of 5 of the 13 teams on Maritime Safety and
Security Teams. And obviously, one of which would affect the
New Jersey/New York port, which obviously is the highest volume
port on the eastern seaboard.
Won't this leave a gap in port security? And I know there
are other options involved in monitoring our ports and
providing for port security with the vessel monitoring systems
onboard, targeted onboard boardings, and so forth. But
nevertheless, that is a significant reduction in those teams.
How do you plan to fill that gap in these ports, and does
it leave a vulnerability in that regard?
Admiral Papp. Senator, we would never leave a
vulnerability, and I never like to lose any Coast Guard people.
These were hard-earned gains over the last 8 years increasing
the size of the Coast Guard. So I am reluctant to lose anybody.
However, working within the constraints of the budget and
taking a look at what we needed to do, we have now had 6 years
of operating with these Maritime Safety and Security Teams. We
have 12 of them, and they were established right after 9/11 to
fill a gap because, quite frankly, during the 1990s, most of
our Coast Guard stations had been reduced to the bare minimum
in terms of personnel.
If you look at New York City, in particular New York
Harbor, prior to 9/11, Station New York--taking care of one of
the most important ports of our country--had been reduced down
to about 45 people and 6 boats. Today, 8 years later, Station
New York has 90 people and 12 boats, very substantial, brand-
new boats and an awful lot of training.
So while that MSST in New York provided a gap filler in the
short term post-9/11, we have been able to substantially
buildup our Coast Guard Station New York, which is there every
day. MSST New York can be deployed and sometimes is not there,
but Station New York is there every day.
Plus, the other thing we look at is, as I said in my
opening statement, strengthening partnerships. Commissioner Ray
Kelly has substantial assets that he can rely upon for
protecting New York City and in the harbor as well. The Marine
Police of New York City are probably some of the best in this
country.
So when you look at a balance, and the Coast Guard is
looking at trying to balance where do we need our resources the
most, where can we be supplemented by Federal, State, or local,
New York Harbor is an obvious place. And as we reorganize these
teams potentially in the future, we will put them in places
where they can deploy and help out for surge.
Senator Snowe. So the bottom line is, is that with the
increased number of Coast Guard personnel at the various
stations and also the adjunct of local police teams or whatever
the local communities such as New York City have provided since
9/11 is sufficient to compensate for the loss of these teams?
Admiral Papp. Yes, Senator.
Senator Snowe. You think it is sufficient?
Admiral Papp. It is.
Senator Snowe. OK. On small vessel security, that is one of
the issues that I raised last summer in an oversight hearing
with Admiral Allen. And obviously, it is one of our greatest
challenges because you have to balance out cooperation and
recreational boaters with maritime security, and the number of
small vessels that obviously are out there and that you have to
monitor and track in any way for detecting vulnerabilities.
He did indicate that it was the greatest vulnerability that
the Coast Guard has to contend with in our ports today. Would
you agree with that assessment, and how best would you think we
should address that? And are we addressing it sufficiently?
Admiral Papp. I agree, Senator. And I had perhaps a
microcosm of that. I dealt with, as the Ninth District
Commander up on the Great Lakes, an estimate of 7 million
registered recreational boaters and other small craft between
Canada and the United States with really no control over who
they are, where they are, what they are doing.
I think part of the challenge in small vessel security is
awareness, first of all. We need to work with the boating
community and small vessel operators, first of all, to make
sure that they know that they are not the problem. They are
part of the solution.
And through programs like America's Waterways Watch,
meeting with various groups around the country, outreach with
various boating communities and with small vessel operators,
which has been a key part of the department's plan, is helping
us, first of all, to gain awareness.
If every voter out there becomes a sensor, a partner,
someone who cooperates with you, then that by itself increases
security because, oftentimes, boaters who have operated in a
certain area for years, like those lobstermen we talked to up
there in Rockland, they know who is supposed to be out there on
the water. They recognize strangers when they are coming
through. If we can use every one of those people out there to
help us with our maritime domain awareness, that is a real
force multiplier.
So I think that is the start. It is a challenge for us. We
know that small boats have been used as weapons by the people
that would do us harm. And intelligence and then engaging the
community out there to help us for awareness I think is
probably the best thing that we can do.
Senator Snowe. I agree with you. I think that could be,
obviously, a very effective tool, using others who are out
there and the partnership that is necessary to expand our
ability to monitor the sea.
One other question on Loran-C. The Coast Guard announced a
shutdown of the Loran-C navigation system as a back up to the
GPS system. There are legitimate concerns about the stability
of the GPS system. I know the Air Force is not going to be
building new satellites in time that are necessary and to
maintain the current levels of services.
So there is obviously concern among boaters in Maine and
the fishing community about the fact that there will not be
this Loran-C backup system and that they will have to rely on
visual aids and navigational tools as an alternative in the
event the GPS system fails.
Admiral Papp. As a navigator, as a sailor, I always like to
have as many systems available to me as possible. As a
taxpayer, we have invested heavily in GPS. That is the way we
have gone, and we have provided a lot of capacity out there for
that. Doing away with Loran-C is probably the right thing to do
now because of all the investment in GPS.
What we need to do--and once again, I am not a rocket
scientist or a person who deals with satellites. All I know is
I am hopeful that they are keeping them up, that sufficient
reinvestment is being done. At the other end, at the lower end,
in terms of redundancy in terms of navigation systems, the
Coast Guard, of course, remains committed to our visual aids
navigation system. We have good resources out there in terms of
our buoy tender fleet, the lighthouses along the coast, and I
think that we have sufficient electronic through GPS and visual
through our short-range navigation system that will continue to
provide for the safety of our mariners out there.
Senator Snowe. Thank you, Admiral Papp.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Senator Cantwell. Senator Klobuchar, do you have any other
questions, any other Paul Bunyan stories or----
[Laughter.]
Senator Klobuchar. No. There is always the giant ball of
twine.
Senator Cantwell. Definitely not in the Coast Guard's
jurisdiction.
Vice Admiral Papp, thank you very much. I am sure we will
leave the record open for our colleagues who have questions.
But thank you for your testimony and answering questions, and
we look forward to working with you.
Admiral Papp. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Senator Cantwell. We are going to call up next the second
panel.
Dr. Larry Robinson to be the Assistant Secretary for Oceans
and Atmosphere at the U.S. Department of Commerce; Dr. Earl
Weener to be a Member of the National Transportation Safety
Board; Dr. Michael Tillman to be a Member of the U.S. Marine
Mammal Commission; Dr. Daryl Boness to be Chairman and
reappointed to the U.S. Marine Mammal Commission; and Mr.
Jeffrey Moreland to be the Director of the Amtrak Board of
Directors.
Welcome to all of you, and thank you for being here today
and your willingness to serve. We appreciate very much your
interest in these important organizations and representing your
agencies.
I think what I am going to do in the interest of time, we
have your written testimony, all of you, and I was hoping that
maybe today that you could just give a--since we have your
written testimony, if you could just give a brief 2-minute
abbreviation of that, and then we could get into some
questions. Because I think that is what we would like to do, is
to have questions of that.
So if we could, and we will start with you, Dr. Robinson.
STATEMENT OF LARRY ROBINSON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY-DESIGNATE,
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Dr. Robinson. Good morning, Chairman Cantwell and honorable
members of this committee. I will give you a 2-minute version
of this opening remark.
And it is with great humility and honor that I sit before
you as President Obama's nominee for Assistant Secretary of
Commerce at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration.
I would like to thank Secretary Locke and Under Secretary
Lubchenco for their gracious support of my nomination.
While I am humbled by this nomination, I can only imagine
the pride that my grandparents and my mother in particular,
Eliza Mae Robinson, would exude if they were still with us to
witness this occasion. Perhaps on one of those 4 a.m. drives as
I took my mother to work, we talked about this possibility and
why, upon my return home, I should take advantage of the
solitude and advance my undergraduate pursuits. I am eternally
indebted to her for all of the sacrifices she made for me in
preparation for this moment.
I owe a tremendous debt to my immediate family, all of whom
are here, Madam Chair.
Beginning with my daughters Nicole, Arlin, Talia, and my
niece, Patricia Robinson-Brown, who my wife and I raised, and
her husband, Kent. And by the way, we are working on the Coast
Guard's diversity issue. They are both members of the U.S.
Coast Guard stationed nearby at Andrews Air Force Base.
Particularly to my wife, Sharon, of 25 years, I want to
thank you for your friendship, wise counsel, and dedication.
I must also thank the entire Florida A&M University family
for adopting me into its wonderful community of scholars and
leaders dedicated to the principle of ``Excellence with
Caring.'' In particular, I must thank Dr. James H. Ammons,
President of the university, who is also with us this morning,
and former presidents Fred Gainous and Frederick S. Humphries
for allowing me to serve in key leadership positions at the
university.
My perspective on conservation and management issues has
been shaped by serving on a number of advisory bodies,
including those with national scope, such as the National
Ecological Observatory Network's Science, Technology, and
Education Advisory Committee and the Ocean Research and
Resources Advisory Committee, and those with a regional or
local focus, such as the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge
Operations Site Specific Advisory Board, the Florida Chapter of
the Nature Conservancy, and the Leon County, Florida Water
Resources Committee.
During the past few weeks, I have met with members of the
leadership teams at the Department of Commerce and NOAA and
various members of your staff, which has allowed me to witness
a spirit of collaboration that most certainly will allow us to
continue to find creative ways to address the complex issues
confronting NOAA and the Nation. I welcome the opportunity to
advance these traditions even further.
This spirit of collegiality and cooperation has been
critical to the success of many of my professional endeavors,
including leadership of NOAA's multi-institutional
Environmental Cooperative Science Center since 2001. Since
1997, I have served as Florida A&M University's Florida Sea
Grant Coordinator, which has allowed me to obtain a grassroots
perspective of NOAA-related issues in Florida and the region.
My tenure on the Ocean Research and Resources Committee
Advisory Panel has fostered a deeper understanding of NOAA and
its relationship to other agencies and organizations with
similar missions and goals. My appreciation for how we can
improve the work of Federal agencies by garnering input from
external stakeholders was bolstered during my tenure as Chief
Science Advisor for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's
Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
[The prepared statement of Dr. Robinson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Larry Robinson, Assistant Secretary-Designate,
U.S. Department of Commerce
Chairman Rockefeller, Ranking Member Hutchison, and honorable
members of this committee, it is with great humility and honor that I
sit before you as President Obama's nominee for Assistant Secretary of
Commerce at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. I
would like to thank Secretary Locke and Under Secretary Lubchenco for
their gracious support of my nomination.
While I am humbled by this nomination, I can only imagine the pride
that my grandparents and my mother, Eliza Mae Robinson, in particular
would exude if they were still with us to witness this occasion.
Perhaps on one of those 4 a.m. drives as I took my mother to work, we
talked about this possibility and why upon my return home I should take
advantage of the solitude and advance my undergraduate pursuits. I am
eternally indebted to her for all of the sacrifices she made for me in
preparation for this moment.
I owe a tremendous debt to my immediate family beginning with my
daughters Nicole, Arlin and Talia and my niece, Patricia Robinson-
Brown, who my wife and I raised, and who, coincidentally is now
stationed nearby at Andrews Air Force Base in the U.S. Coast Guard. And
to Sharon, my wife of 25 years, thank you for your friendship, wise
counsel and dedication.
I must thank the entire Florida A&M University family for adopting
me into its wonderful community of scholars and leaders dedicated to
the principle of ``Excellence with Caring.''
In particular I must thank President James H. Ammons, former
Presidents Fred Gainous, and Frederick S. Humphries, for allowing me to
serve in key leadership positions at the University including Director
of the Environmental Sciences Institute, Provost and Vice President for
Academic Affairs and currently Vice President for Research. I must also
thank Dr. Ammons and our Board of Trustees Chairman, Mr. William
Jennings for encouraging me to pursue this opportunity.
My perspective on conservation and management issues has been
shaped by service on advisory bodies including those with national
scope such as the National Ecological Observatory Network's Science
Technology and Education Advisory Committee, and the Oceans Research
and Resources Advisory Panel; and those with a regional or local focus
such as the Department of Energy's Oak Ridge Operations Site Specific
Advisory Board, the Florida Chapter of the Nature Conservancy, and the
Leon County, Florida Water Resources Committee.
During the past few weeks, I have met with members of the
leadership teams at the Department of Commerce and NOAA and various
members of your staff which has allowed me to witness a spirit of
collaboration that most certainly will allow us to continue to find
creative ways to address the complex issues confronting NOAA and the
Nation regardless of their difficulty. I welcome the opportunity to
advance these traditions even further.
This spirit of collegiality and cooperation has been critical to
the success of my professional endeavors including leadership of NOAA's
multi-institutional Environmental Cooperative Science Center (ECSC)
since 2001 which conducts research on ecological and human dynamics in
coastal ecosystems from the Texas Gulf of Mexico to Delaware Bay.
Since 1997, I have served as FAMU's Florida Sea Grant Coordinator,
which has allowed me to obtain a ``grassroots'' perspective of NOAA-
related issues in Florida and the region.
Four years of service on the National Research Council's Committee
on the Restoration of the Greater Everglades Ecosystem allowed me to
provide input to one of the Nation's most expansive and comprehensive
ecosystem restoration projects.
My tenure on the Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel has
fostered a deeper understanding of NOAA and its relationship to other
agencies and organizations with missions and goals.
My appreciation for how we can improve the work of Federal agencies
by garnering input from external stakeholders was bolstered during my
tenure as Chief Science Advisor for the U.S. Department of
Agriculture's Cooperative State Research Education and Extension
Service as this agency prepared for its transformation to the National
Institute for Food and Agriculture.
Finally, my own research and faculty responsibilities have
contributed to the dissertation research projects of Ph.D. recipients
from Florida A&M University who are currently employed at NOAA in the
National Marine Fisheries Service, National Ocean Service, and Oceanic
and Atmospheric Research.
Through these collective experiences and others, I have come to
know and appreciate the Department of Commerce and NOAA and their
responsibilities and resources very well. These resources include
talented and dedicated people inside and outside of government whose
work and actions impact our lives on a daily basis. Their work can
often help us peer into the future.
Mr. Chairman, if confirmed as Assistant Secretary of Commerce, I
will work collaboratively with this committee, and Congress to ensure
that the full capacity of our assets are utilized to meet our
responsibility to manage the resources entrusted to us and arrive at a
future defined by our collective vision that is in the best interest of
this Nation.
Thank you for your attention. I welcome any questions you might
have.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Dr. Robinson.
We have your full testimony, and so I want to make sure we
have time for questions because you hold important positions
that we definitely want to get on the record. So if I could, I
am going to just keep proceeding down the line so that we can
get to that point.
Dr. Robinson. Thank you.
Senator Cantwell. And ask witnesses to, if they could, keep
their remarks brief since we do have the full statements. Thank
you.
Dr. Weener?
STATEMENT OF EARL F. WEENER, MEMBER-DESIGNATE, NATIONAL
TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD
Dr. Weener. Thank you, Chairwoman Cantwell, Ranking
Minority Member Senator Hutchison, and distinguished members of
the Committee.
I am pleased to be here today as you consider my nomination
to the NTSB. I would like to thank Senator McConnell for his
proposing my selection and President Obama for nominating me.
Before going further, I would like to introduce several
people who are very special to me. Senator Merkley has already
stated much of my background, and so I will not go into that.
But I would like to introduce my wife, Linda. And viewing this
from various parts of the country are my daughter, Julia
Robinson; son-in-law, Geoffrey Robinson; my son, Jeff Weener
and his wife, Katrina; and my mother, and a number of family
and friends.
My qualifications to be a Member of the National
Transportation Safety Board include a long 40 years of interest
in aviation safety, including 24 years at the Boeing Company.
For the last 10 years, I have been working with the Flight
Safety Foundation on international programs in ground safety
and runway safety.
The overarching role of the NTSB is to promote safety, and
preventing accidents requires the Safety Board to accurately
identify probable causes and communicate the findings and
recommendations in a manner in which they are understood. The
NTSB is the Nation's preeminent accident investigation agency,
and its expertise and the intentional Congressional design of
the agency as an independent agency protects it from bias in
accident investigations.
An equally important role for the agency is safety advocacy
and furthering the safety recommendations of the Safety Board.
I believe my transportation safety experience in the commercial
transport arena and industry association in Government affairs
and in international safety programs have prepared me for this
appointment and this opportunity to serve the public.
If confirmed as a Member of the NTSB, I will do my utmost
to maintain the preeminence of the Safety Board and to serve
the American public. I look forward to any questions.
[The prepared statement and biographical information of Dr.
Weener follows:]
Prepared Statement of Earl F. Weener, Member-Designate,
National Transportation Safety Board
Chairman Rockefeller, Ranking Minority Member Hutchison, and
distinguished members of the Committee, I am pleased and honored to
appear before you today as you consider my nomination to the National
Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). I am grateful to Senator McConnell,
for proposing my selection and to President Obama, for nominating me to
serve the Nation in this position. I would also like to thank Senator
Merkley, from my home state of Oregon, for his support and generous
introduction. If confirmed, I intend to work with the utmost diligence
to contribute to the Safety Board's mission of preventing
transportation accidents and incidents, and to maintaining the trust
and confidence of the traveling public in our transportation system.
Before going further, I would like to introduce several people who
are very special to me. First, I would like to introduce my wife, best
friend, and most ardent supporter, Linda Weener, who is present with me
at this hearing. My daughter, Julia Robinson, and her husband,
Geoffrey, are viewing this from Colorado. My son, Jeffrey, and his
wife, Katrina, are viewing this from my home town, Sherwood, Oregon. My
mother, Marcia Weener, is viewing this hearing from Michigan. Finally,
I would like to acknowledge the support and encouragement of retired
Executive Vice President of the Flight Safety Foundation, Robert
Vandel, a long time colleague and collaborator in promoting aviation
safety enhancing activities for more than two decades.
Let me briefly discuss my qualifications and experience as they
relate to being a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board. I
have been actively involved in advancing safety, more specifically,
aviation safety, for more than four decades as a private citizen, as a
participant and technically trained professional in the commercial or
private sector and as an active professional and consultant, educator
and advocate in the not-for-profit sector. As an individual, at the
beginning of my aviation career, I flew as an Air Taxi pilot and
endeavored to teach people to fly airplanes safely. I continued as a
flight instructor throughout my college days to the present.
During my nearly quarter century career with The Boeing Company, I
was involved in assignments that included developing the flight crew
interface of the Boeing 767 and 757 flight decks, as well as the
preliminary development of the modifications to the 747 that lead to a
modern two-crew flight deck. During the mid 1980s, I was involved, as
an employee of Boeing, in government affairs in this city, and, in that
capacity, dealt extensively with aviation safety issues. During the
latter portion of my private sector career with Boeing, I was chief
engineer for areas that included airplane safety, safety technology
development, and related engineering executive assignments across all
the Boeing commercial airplanes. It was during this time that I
initiated the effort to prevent Controlled Flight into Terrain (CFIT)
and approach and landing accidents, which through the auspices of the
Flight Safety Foundation, became an international safety task force.
During the past decade, following my retirement from Boeing, I have
continued to be active in the area of aviation safety and have worked
with the Flight Safety Foundation to develop and lead two international
programs focused on enhancing ground safety and runway safety. More
recently, I was involved in leading the Flight Safety Foundation Runway
Safety Initiative, an effort focused on preventing runway excursions,
which were involved in approximately 30 percent of the commercial air
transport accidents world-wide over the past decade and a half.
The overarching role of the NTSB is to promote safety through its
recommendations. Preventing accidents requires that the Board, through
its investigations, accurately identifies the probable causes of
accidents, and communicates these findings in a manner that they are
understood. The NTSB is the Nation's preeminent accident investigation
agency and its expertise in transportation safety is recognized
throughout the world. It is by Congressional design, an independent
agency and is not part of any regulatory authority. That independence
allows the Board to conduct unbiased investigations into transportation
accidents. An equally important role of the Board is that of safety
advocacy, to disseminate knowledge that will lead to the prevention of
accidents and advance the recommendations of the Board.
I believe that my transportation safety experience in commercial
transport aircraft design, development and operation; in industry
association and government affairs; and in international safety
programs have all prepared me for this opportunity to serve the public
and advance transportation safety. I believe my experience and
expertise complement the experience and expertise currently resident in
the Board. If confirmed as a Member of the NTSB, I will do my utmost to
maintain the preeminence of the Board. If confirmed, I look forward to
the opportunity to serve the American public as a Member of the NTSB.
I look forward to addressing any questions you may have.
______
a. biographical information
1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used): Earl Floyd
Weener.
2. Position to which nominated: Board Member, National
Transportation Safety Board.
3. Date of Nomination: January 20, 2010.
4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):
Residence: Information not released to the public.
Office: Sherwood, OR 97140 (office in home).
5. Date and Place of Birth: June 23, 1945; Holland, Michigan.
6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).
Spouse: Linda Wooldridge Weener, Retired; children: daughter--
Julia Ann Robinson, 44; son--Jeffrey Earl Weener, 41.
7. List all college and graduate degrees. Provide year and school
attended.
PhD, University of Michigan, 1975.
MSE, University of Michigan, 1972.
BSE, University of Michigan, 1971.
8. List all post-undergraduate employment, and highlight all
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to
the position for which you are nominated.
University of Michigan; Graduate Research Assistant.
The Boeing Company; Seattle, WA.
1975-1978--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Developed Automatic
Flight Controls Design Criteria and Requirements, and Microwave
Landing System Flight Evaluation.
1978-1982--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; 757/767 Flight Deck
Development; Flight Crew Man/Machine Interface Development.
Flight Crew Simulation Test and Evaluation.
1982-1984--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; 747 Two-Crew Flight
Deck Development and Preliminary Design.
1984-1988--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Manager of Aviation
Affairs in Washington D.C.; Aviation Industry Policy and
Regulatory Affairs.
1988-1994--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Chief Engineer--
Airworthiness, Reliability and Maintainability, and Airplane
Safety Engineering (managed organization of approximately 350
to 400 people).
1994-1998--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Chief Engineer--Systems
Engineering (Managed organization as large as 400+ people).
1998-1999--Boeing Commercial Airplanes; Chief Engineer--
Airplane Safety Technology Development.
Flight Safety Foundation
2002-present--Flight Safety Foundation; Foundation Fellow; Co-
leader of Ground Accident Prevention (GAP) Program; Co-leader
of FSF Runway Safety Initiative; Manager of Aviation Personnel
Shortage Project; Principal, Head-up Guidance System Technology
Study.
9. Attach a copy of your resume. A copy is attached.
10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other
than those listed above, within the last 5 years: None.
11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise,
educational, or other institution within the last 5 years.
Consultant--Flight Safety Foundation.
12.Please list each membership you have had during the past 10
years or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable,
educational, political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or
religious organization, private club, or other membership organization.
Include dates of membership and any positions you have held with any
organization. Please note whether any such club or organization
restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color, religion,
national origin, age, or handicap.
Calvin Presbyterian Church, Tigard, Oregon--Member 2006 to
present.
First United Methodist Church, Seattle, WA 1993-2006.
Columbia Aviation Association, Aurora, Oregon--Member 2006-
2008.
Northwest Bonanza Society--Member, Director 2006 to present (If
confirmed, per the ethics agreement, I will resign my position
as Director).
Pacific Bonanza Society--Member 2004-2007.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association--Member 1996 to present.
Experimental Aircraft Association--Member 2003 to present.
National Association of Flight Instructors--Member 2003 to
present.
Seven Seas Cruising Association--Member 2000-2004.
University of Michigan Alumni Association, 2008 to present.
None of these organizations discriminate on the basis of sex,
race, color, religion, national origin, age, or handicap.
13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office
(elected, non-elected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are
personally liable for that debt: No.
14. Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign
organization, political party, political action committee, or similar
entity of $500 or more for the past 10 years. Also list all offices you
have held with, and services rendered to, a state or national political
party or election committee during the same period.
Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association--PAC (less than $500 in
total contributions).
15. List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honorary
society memberships, military medals, and any other special recognition
for outstanding service or achievements.
Numerous scholarships as Undergraduate, University of Michigan.
National Science Foundation Traineeship, University of
Michigan.
Edward White Fellowship, University of Michigan.
Tau Beta Pi (National Engineering Honor Society).
Sigma Gamma Tau (National Aerospace Engineering Honor Society).
Aviation Week and Space Technology, Laurels Award, 1994.
Honeywell Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety, 2005.
16. Please list each book, article, column, or publication you have
authored, individually or with others. Also list any speeches that you
have given on topics relevant to the position for which you have been
nominated. Do not attach copies of these publications unless otherwise
instructed.
Major Presentations 2006 to 2009--Earl F. Weener, Ph.D.
Ground Accident Prevention EASS 2006 Update, European Air
Safety Seminar, Athens, 3/12/2006.
Ground Accident Prevention, Association of European Airlines,
Brussels, 6/29/2006.
Ground Accident Prevention Project Status, International Air
Safety Symposium, Paris, 10/23/2006.
Ground Accident Prevention Project Status, Corporate Aviation
Safety Team Briefing, Washington, D.C., 12/7/2006.
Ground Safety and Accident Prevention, Alaska Air Carriers
Association, Anchorage, 2/15/2007.
Ground Accident Prevention--The Foundation's Answer, European
Aviation Safety Seminar, Amsterdam, 3/13/2007.
Runway Safety Initiative, NTSB Runway Safety Meeting, 3/27/
2007.
Ground Accident Prevention--The Foundation's Answer, 52nd
Annual Corporate Aviation Safety Seminar, 5/9/2007.
Ground Damage Data in a Safety Management System, COSCAP
Workshop, Beijing, 3/24/2008.
FSF Ground Accident Prevention, COSCAP Workshop, Beijing, 3/24/
2008.
FSF Ground Accident Prevention Data Findings, COSCAP Workshop,
Bangkok, 3/27/2008.
FSF Data Collection Tools and Data Taxonomy, COSCAP Workshop,
Bangkok, 3/27/2008.
Runway Safety, Air Transport World Webcast, 6/25/2008.
Industry Training and Qualification Initiative, An
International Aviation Industry Approach to the Global Shortage
of Pilots, Mechanics and Engineers, University Aviation
Association, Denver, 10/16/2008.
Runway Safety Initiative, International Air Safety Seminar,
Honolulu, 10/30/2008.
Industry Training and Qualification Initiative, Crew Management
Conference, 12/1/2008.
Operational Risks on the Ground and How to Prevent Them, Crew
Management Conference, 12/2/2008, Dubai.
Runway Safety, Pacific Northwest Business Aviation Association,
Seattle, WA, 3/5/2009.
Reducing Runway Excursions, 54th Corporate Air Safety Seminar,
Orlando, FL, 4/21/2009.
Reducing Runway Excursions, Horizon Airlines, Portland, OR, 5/
13/2009.
17. Please identify each instance in which you have testified
orally or in writing before Congress in a governmental or non-
governmental capacity and specify the date and subject matter of each
testimony: None.
18. Given the current mission, major programs, and major
operational objectives of the department/agency to which you have been
nominated, what in your background or employment experience do you
believe affirmatively qualifies you for appointment to the position for
which you have been nominated, and why do you wish to serve in that
position?
Beginning in 1967, as a general aviation flight instructor, I have
been actively involved in promoting safety throughout my career. My
engineering responsibilities with Boeing Commercial Airplanes required
me to address safety in the design and operation of airplanes such as
the 757, 767 and 747-400. The Company also assigned me to serve as the
Company's spokesperson for aviation safety and to engage the commercial
air transport industry in a more cooperative and public pursuit of
aviation safety. While at Boeing, I was involved in initiating and
leading the Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) Task Force, using the
Flight Safety Foundation (FSF') as the vehicle to develop broad
industry involvement and cooperation.
Following my career in the private, commercial sector, and a two-
year sabbatical, I became involved in developing and leading
international safety programs in the non-profit sector through the
Flight Safety Foundation. These programs included the FSF Ground
Accident Prevention Program and the FSF Runway Safety Initiative.
Having promoted safety as an individual, as a participant in the
private commercial sector, and as a participant in the not-for-profit
sector, I would now like to bring this experience to the governmental
sector where I can promote safety across multiple transportation modes.
The NTSB is recognized as the premier safety investigation organization
in the world, and I would like the opportunity to influence
transportation safety as a Member of that preeminent organization.
19.What do you believe are your responsibilities, if confirmed, to
ensure that the department/agency has proper management and accounting
controls, and what experience do you have in managing a large
organization?
As an NTSB Board Member not serving as the Chairman or Vice
Chairman, there are limited direct responsibilities for the management
of the NTSB organization. Most administrative and organizational
management responsibilities are delegated to the Chairman and Vice
Chairman. As a Member, I would be directly responsible for the
management of the resources allocated to my Member office, and for
acting collectively with the other Board Members to influence the
policies and practices of the agency. Nevertheless, within the private
sector, I have had direct responsibility for management of engineering
and support organizations of the size and complexity of the NTSB, and
would participate in management of the NTSB as the rules and
regulations of the NTSB allow.
20. What do you believe to be the top three challenges facing the
department/agency, and why?
The first challenge to the NTSB is to maintain the position as the
world `s preeminent accident investigation and analysis organization.
The second challenge is to broaden the scope to address the
identification and prevention of practices and actions that lead to or
are precursors of accidents.
The third challenge is to assure the NTSB has the expertise in
place consistent with the advancement of technology in current and
future transportation systems.
b. potential conflicts of interest
1. Describe all financial arrangements, deferred compensation
agreements, and other continuing dealings with business associates,
clients, or customers. Please include information related to retirement
accounts.
With regard to the future, which includes the period of time that I
will serve as a Board Member of the NTSB if I am confirmed, I have no
financial arrangement, deferred compensation agreements or other
continuing dealings with business associates, clients or customers.
Based on my 24 years of service with Boeing, I am entitled to and
receive a pension from The Boeing Company's defined benefit pension
program. I have an ethics agreement that describes how I will avoid any
conflicts of interest or questions as to my impartiality that may he
raised concerning the Boeing pension.
2. Do you have any commitments or agreements, formal or informal,
to maintain employment, affiliation, or practice with any business,
association or other organization during your appointment? If so,
please explain.
I have no commitments or agreements regarding maintaining
employment, affiliation or practice with any business, association or
other organization during my appointment to the NTSB. My ethics
agreement describes how I will handle my relationship with my current
business and organizations with which I am currently involved.
3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other
relationships which could involve potential conflicts of interest in
the position to which you have been nominated.
As I mentioned above, I am entitled to a pension from the Boeing
defined benefit pension plan based on my service with Boeing from 1975-
1999. My ethics agreement describes the strategy that I will use to
avoid any conflicts of interest or questions as to my impartiality if I
am confirmed as a Member of the NTSB.
4. Describe any business relationship, dealing, or financial
transaction which you have had during the last 10 years, whether for
yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as an agent, that could in
any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest in the
position to which you have been nominated.
I have had no business relationship, dealing or financial
transaction during the last 10 years that would present a possible
conflict of interest. I was a minority investor in a boat manufacturing
company that has since gone out of business; however, there are no
continuing financial interests or obligations in that regard.
With regard to my employment as a Fellow/consultant with the Flight
Safety Foundation, as my ethics agreement indicates, if confirmed as a
Member of the NTSB, I will resign this position. My ethics agreement
describes in detail the means by which I will avoid any conflict of
interest or question as to my impartiality that could be raised
concerning the Flight Safety Foundation.
5. Describe any activity during the past 10 years in which you have
been engaged for the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the
passage, defeat, or modification of any legislation or affecting the
administration and execution of law or public policy: None.
6. Explain how you will resolve any potential conflict of interest,
including any that may be disclosed by your responses to the above
items.
As has been stated in my earlier responses, in the course of the
nomination process, I have established and entered into an ethics
agreement that recognizes my obligations regarding conflicts of
interest and addresses potential conflicts and potential questions of
impartiality. If confirmed as a Member of the NTSB, I will follow the
guidance and adhere to the commitments contained in my ethics agreement
regarding any potential conflict of interest.
c. legal matters
1. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics
by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative
agency, professional association, disciplinary committee, or other
professional group? If so, please explain: No.
2. Have you ever been investigated, arrested, charged, or held by
any Federal, State, or other law enforcement authority of any Federal,
State, county, or municipal entity, other than for a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
3. Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer
ever been involved as a party in an administrative agency proceeding or
civil litigation? If so, please explain.
I was a minority shareholder of a boat building corporation that
went bankrupt. I was the defendant in civil litigation by a customer
who lost money as a result of the bankruptcy. This civil suit was
dismissed with prejudice in summary judgment.
4. Have you ever been convicted (including pleas of guilty or nolo
contendere) of any criminal violation other than a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
5. Have you ever been accused, formally or informally, of sexual
harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or
any other basis? If so, please explain: No.
6. Please advise the Committee of any additional information,
favorable or unfavorable, which you feel should be disclosed in
connection with your nomination.
Not aware of any such information.
d. relationship with committee
1. Will you ensure that your department/agency complies with
deadlines for information set by Congressional committees? Yes.
2. Will you ensure that your department/agency does whatever it can
to protect Congressional witnesses and whistle blowers from reprisal
for their testimony and disclosures? Yes.
3. Will you cooperate in providing the Committee with requested
witnesses, including technical experts and career employees, with
firsthand knowledge of matters of interest to the Committee? Yes.
4. Are you willing to appear and testify before any duly
constituted committee of the Congress on such occasions as you may be
reasonably requested to do so? Yes.
______
resume of earl f. weener
Objective
Member, National Transportation Safety Board
Profile
Accomplished career in aviation as engineering executive,
safety advocate, industry safety spokesperson, engineer, pilot
Skilled public communicator of technical and policy issues
Organized, highly motivated, big-picture problem solver
Knowledgeable safety initiative developer, team builder and
mentor
Education
Ph.D. Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan
MSE Aerospace Engineering, University of Michigan
BSE Aerospace Engineering, Summa Cum Laude, University of
Michigan
Relevant Experience
Consultant and Fellow, Flight Safety Foundation
Led international industry initiative to improve runway safety
Led international industry program to reduce ground accidents
and injuries
Served as member of FSF Board of Governors and Executive
Committee
Presided over Board of Governors workshops to develop and
refine mission, goals and objectives
Chief Engineer, The Boeing Company
Developed Boeing public safety agenda and public communications
strategy
Served as Boeing spokesperson on aviation safety with customers
and media organizations
Coordinated with government and industry organizations
Created and led industry programs to reduce CFIT and Approach
and Landing Accidents
Organized and lead diverse engineering organizations as large
as 400 people
Employment
2002-present--Consultant and Fellow, Flight Safety Foundation,
Alexandria, VA
Initiated actions to reduce accidents via coordinated industry
programs.
Conducted special projects such as Board of Governors strategy
workshops
1999-2002--Sabbatical/Early Retirement
USCG Master's License
Cruised much of U.S. coastline via powerboat as full-time live-
aboard
Refurbished a boat and remodeled a home
1998-1999--Chief Engineer, Safety Technology Development, The
Boeing Company
Directed development and application of new technology for
airplane safety enhancement
1994-1998--Chief Engineer, System Engineering, The Boeing Company
Developed cross-program organizations for airplane integration,
product assurance, electromagnetic compatibility, and human
factors
1988-1994--Chief Engineer, Airworthiness, Reliability and
Maintainability, and Safety, The Boeing Company
Led organizations that type-certified airplanes, performed
reliability and maintainability engineering, and improved
airplane safety
1984-1988--Manager of Government Affairs, Washington, D.C. Office,
The Boeing Company
Served as focal point for engineering, technology and policy
interface with Congress, Executive Branch and industry trade
organizations
Prior Experience
Preliminary development of two-crew 747 flight deck concept
Development of 757 and 767 airplane flight decks, including
application of human factors principles
Developed and operated small businesses
General Aviation flight instructor and Part 135 pilot
Announcer and engineer for AM/FM commercial radio stations
Honors and Awards
Honeywell Bendix Trophy for Aviation Safety, 2005
Aviation Week and Space Technology Laurels Award, 1994
Flight Safety Foundation Icarus Committee
Flight Safety Foundation Board of Governors
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Dr. Weener.
Dr. Tillman, thank you for being here. We look forward to
your statement. Thank you.
STATEMENT OF MICHAEL F. TILLMAN, Ph.D., MEMBER-DESIGNATE,
MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION
Dr. Tillman. Thank you, Madam Chair Cantwell and Ranking
Member Hutchison and members of the Committee.
I am deeply grateful to President Obama for nominating me
as a Member of the Marine Mammal Commission, and I greatly
appreciate the opportunity to appear before you to discuss my
nomination and to address your questions.
I would like to begin by acknowledging my mother, Margaret
Roberts Tillman, who passed away almost 7 years ago at the age
of 89. She grew up in a Tlingit Indian village called Klawock
on Prince William Island in southeast Alaska. She had the
courage and determination to leave the village, seek a quality
education, and forge a better life for herself and her family.
She ultimately became a leader of our people in Seattle and
a respected elder of the Tlingit Indian Tribe. If she could be
here today, I am sure she would be very proud of this moment,
and I hope that I measure up to her expectations.
I retired 6 years ago after 32 years of service with the
National Marine Fisheries Service. For 15\1/2\ years, I was a
Senior Executive, applying science to resolve the difficult
issues arising from the national and international management
of living marine resources. I hope to serve as a Member of the
Marine Mammal Commission and continue to apply that experience
for the conservation of marine mammals and ecosystems.
I will not review my career in detail, but I have had a
wide and varied career as a scientist and manager. And I
consequently believe I have broad experience regarding the
interplay of science, management, and politics in formulating
national and international policies pertaining to the
conservation of living marine resources.
Although now retired, I continue to work in the
conservation arena, advising the U.S. delegation to the
International Whaling Commission and serving as a research
associate at Scripps Institution of Oceanography's Center for
Marine Biodiversity and Conservation.
I believe that, if confirmed, I have the experience,
knowledge, and broad strategic perspective to serve the Marine
Mammal Commission well in these challenging times.
If confirmed, I would be honored, both professionally and
personally, to be a Member of the Commission and to contribute
to its mission and goals and, in doing so, continue my service
to this great Nation.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement and biographical information of Dr.
Tillman follows:]
Prepared Statement of Michael F. Tillman, Ph.D., Member-Designate,
Marine Mammal Commission
Chairman Rockefeller, Ranking Member Hutchison, and members of the
Committee, I am deeply grateful to President Obama for nominating me as
a Member of the Marine Mammal Commission, and I greatly appreciate the
opportunity to appear before you to discuss my nomination and to
address your questions.
I would like to begin by acknowledging my mother, Margaret Roberts
Tillman, who passed away almost 7 years ago at the age of 89. She grew
up in a Tlingit Indian village called Klawock on Prince William Island
in Southeast Alaska. She had the courage and determination to leave the
village, seek a quality education, and forge a better life for herself
and, eventually, for her family. She ultimately became a leader of our
people in Seattle and a respected elder of the Tlingit Indian Tribe. If
she could be here today, I'm sure she would be very proud of this
moment and thinking, ``See, if provided the opportunity, encouragement
and education, we too can be among America's best and brightest.'' I
hope that I have measured up to her expectations.
I retired 6 years ago after 32 years of service in the National
Marine Fisheries Service. For 15\1/2\ years I was a Senior Executive,
applying science to resolve the difficult issues arising from the
national and international management of living marine resources. I
hope to serve as a member of the Marine Mammal Commission and continue
to apply that experience to the conservation of marine mammals and
ecosystems.
I have had a wide and varied career as a scientist and manager. My
early research focused on estimating the abundance of marine resources
that were taken by commercial and Alaskan Native harvests. I then began
advising policy officials on the scientific aspects of issues such as
subsistence harvests of northern fur seals, incidental killings by
Japanese drift gillnets, commercial harvests of whales regulated by the
International Whaling Commission, and Alaska Eskimo hunts for bowhead
whales.
Later in my career, as a policy official or as one of the agency's
senior scientists, I worked on Pacific Northwest salmon listings, the
incidental take of dolphins by tuna purse seiners, the incidental take
of sea turtles by Hawaiian longliners, recovery planning for Hawaiian
monk seals, and the adoption of the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary by
the International Whaling Commission. During these later years, I
served as the U.S. Commissioner to the Inter-American Tropical Tuna
Commission and the Deputy U.S. Commissioner to the International
Whaling Commission. Consequently, I have broad experience regarding the
interplay of science, management, and politics in formulating national
and international policies pertaining to the conservation of living
marine resources.
Although now retired, I continue to work in the conservation arena,
advising the U.S. Delegation to the International Whaling Commission
and serving as a Research Associate at Scripps Institution of
Oceanography's Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation. I
believe that, if confirmed, I have the experience, knowledge, and
broad, strategic perspective to serve the Marine Mammal Commission well
in these challenging times.
One of the major challenges facing the Marine Mammal Commission is
the globalization of issues affecting the status of marine mammal
populations. Marine mammals do not recognize the arbitrary boundaries
established by governments, and neither do the issues affecting the
health of their stocks, such as climate change, ocean pollution, and
anthropogenic noise. For that reason, marine mammal conservation
requires an ecosystem approach that transcends borders. In turn,
implementation of such an approach will require dedication and new
resources to improve our scientific understanding of how ecosystems
work. Moreover, the involved agencies must commit themselves to
coordinating and integrating their related scientific and management
activities. I am pleased that the Ocean Policy Task Force has
recognized these needs in its Interim Report.
If confirmed, I would be honored, both professionally and
personally, to be a member of the Marine Mammal Commission, to
contribute to its mission and goals and, in doing so, to continue my
service to this great Nation.
Thank you and I would be pleased to address any questions.
______
a. biographical information
1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used):
Michael F. Tillman (Mike).
2. Position to which nominated: Member, U.S. Marine Mammal
Commission.
3. Date of Nomination: January 20, 2010.
4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):
Residence: Information not released to the public.
Office: Encinitas, CA 92024 (residence and office).
5. Date and Place of Birth: February 10, 1943; Seattle, Washington.
6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).
Jennifer E. Tillman (spouse), retired; children: Lee Michael
Tillman (son, age 40), Christopher Lawrence Tillman (son, age
33).
7. List all college and graduate degrees. Provide year and school
attended.
B.S., Fisheries Science 1965, University of Washington.
M.S., Fisheries Science 1968, University of Washington.
Ph.D., Fisheries Science 1972, University of Washington.
8. List all post-undergraduate employment, and highlight all
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to
the position for which you are nominated.
2/2004-present--Michael F. Tillman, Sole proprietor, Self-
employed consultant contracted as follows:
02/2010-09/2010--NOAA/NMFS Alaska Fisheries Science
Center; Contract to provide support to the U.S. delegation
to the International Whaling Commission.
10/2008-08/2009--Data Solutions & Technology, Lanham, MD;
Sub-contract to provide support to IWC delegation.
09/2006-09/2008--NOAA/NMFS Office of the Director, Silver
Spring, MD; Contract to provide support to the IWC
Commissioner.
05/2004-08/2006--NOAA/NMFS Office of Protected Resources,
Silver Spring, MD; Contract to provide support to the IWC
delegation.
06/1993-01/2004--Science Director, NOAA/NMFS SW Fisheries
Science Center, La, Jolla, CA.
08/1992-05/1993--Acting Director, NOAA/NMFS Office of Protected
Resources, Silver Spring, MD.
07/1990-07/1992--Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries,
NOAA/NMFS Silver Spring, MD.
07/1988-06/1990--Senior Scientist for Fisheries, NOAA/NMFS,
Silver Spring, MD.
02/1987-06/1988--Division Chief, NOAA/NMFS Office of Protected
Resources, Conservation Science Division, Washington, D.C.
11/1983-01/1987--Director, IUCN Conservation Monitoring Center,
Cambridge, United Kingdom, (on detail from NOAA).
08/1979-10/1983--Director, NOAA/NMFS National Marine Mammal
Laboratory, Seattle, WA.
05/1978-07/1979--Deputy Director, Marine Mammal Division, NOAA/
NMFS Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle,
WA.
07/1974-04/1978--Supervisory Fishery Research Biologist, Marine
Mammal Division, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center,
Seattle, WA.
08/1972-06/1974--Fishery Research Biologist, NOAA/NMFS Marine
Fish and Shellfish Division, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries
Science Center, Seattle, WA.
09/1970-07/1972--Research Associate, Center for Quantitative
Science in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, University of
Washington, Seattle, WA.
06/1968-07/1972--Active Military Service, U.S. Army, 1st
Lieutenant, Army Logistics Command, St. Louis, MO; Captain, I
Corps Group, South Korea.
09/1965-05/1968--Teaching Assistant, College of Fisheries,
University of Washington, Seattle, WA.
The four positions I held after earning my doctorate (August 1972
to October 1983) were scientific/technical (I conducted research,
published papers in peer-reviewed journals and participated in
scientific meetings, etc.) and are germane to this position. The six
positions from the middle of my career until I retired from Federal
service (November 1983 to February 2004), as well as my activities as a
self-employed consultant are primarily managerial (requiring planning,
budgeting, management of human resources, developing and implementing
policies and regulations). They are pertinent in that I applied the
principles of using the best available science and a precautionary
approach in the face of uncertainty, as well as an understanding of the
interplay between science and management, to resolve conservation
issues.
9. Attach a copy of your resume. A copy is attached.
10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other
than those listed above, within the last 5 years.
No state or local positions.
2007--Served as private sector delegate on U.S. delegation to
the International Whaling Commission.
2008--Served as private sector delegate on U.S. delegation to
the International Whaling Commission.
2009--Served as support staff to U.S. delegation to the
International Whaling Commission.
11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise,
educational, or other institution within the last 5 years.
2003-present--Unsalaried Research Associate, Scripps
Institution of Oceanography.
2003-2005--Conference Chair, 16th Biennial Conference, Society
for Marine Mammalogy.
2008-2009--Contractor, Data Solutions & Technology (provides
services for Federal Government agencies).
12. Please list each membership you have had during the past 10
years or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable,
educational, political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or
religious organization, private club, or other membership organization.
Include dates of membership and any positions you have held with any
organization. Please note whether any such club or organization
restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color, religion,
national origin, age, or handicap.
(See attachment A.12--Memberships in Organizations)
None of the organizations I belong to restricts membership or
otherwise practices discrimination in any form.
13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office
(elected, nonelected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are
personally liable for that debt.
I have never been a candidate for or held a public office.
14. Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign
organization, political party, political action committee, or similar
entity of $500 or more for the past 10 years. Also list all offices you
have held with, and services rendered to, a state or national political
party or election committee during the same period: None.
15. List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honorary
society memberships, military medals, and any other special recognition
for outstanding service or achievements.
1961-65--Gov-Mart Scholarship.
1962--Phi Eta Sigma Scholastic Honorary Society.
1965--B.S. cum laude.
1969--Honor Graduate, Chemical Officers' Basic Course.
1970--Army Commendation Medal.
1979--Nominated for NMFS Employee of the Year.
1993--Presidential Rank Award, Meritorious Executive.
1994--Albert Schweitzer Medal, Animal Welfare Institute.
1994-99--Presidential appointment, U.S. Commissioner to the
Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission (IATTC).
1994-04--Presidential appointment, Deputy U.S. Commissioner to
the International Whaling Commission.
1995--Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (Fisheries Bycatch in
Chile).
1998--Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (Tuna/Dolphin
Interactions).
2000--Department of Commerce Bronze Medal (Japanese Trade in
Whale Products).
2003--Nominated for NOAA Distinguished Career Award.
16. Please list each book, article, column, or publication you have
authored, individually or with others. Also list any speeches that you
have given on topics relevant to the position for which you have been
nominated. Do not attach copies of these publications unless otherwise
instructed.
(Publications are listed in attachment A.16--Primary Published or
Creative Work)
I have not given any relevant speeches but have made the following
two invited presentations:
Native hunting, gifting and marine mammal policy: The value of
government service to Native communities. Annual Conference of
the Society for Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in
Science, Anaheim, CA. September 26-28, 2002.
State of the world's whales: A perspective from within the IWC.
Pew Symposium on the Conservation of Whales in the 21st
Century, New York, NY. April 12-13, 2007.
17. Please identify each instance in which you have testified
orally or in writing before Congress in a governmental or non-
governmental capacity and specify the date and subject matter of each
testimony.
While serving in various Senior Executive Service positions within
the National Marine Fisheries Service between 1988 and 1993, I
testified several times before Congress. I do not have records
detailing each instance but recall that they generally pertained to
various topics including the NOAA/NMFS proposed budget, the tuna/
dolphin issue, high-seas driftnets, and other contemporary fisheries
and resource issues. I have never testified in a non-governmental
capacity.
18. Given the current mission, major programs, and major
operational objectives of the department/agency to which you have been
nominated, what in your background or employment experience do you
believe affirmatively qualifies you for appointment to the position for
which you have been nominated, and why do you wish to serve in that
position?
I retired 6 years ago after 31 \1/2\ years of service with the
National Marine Fisheries Service. I spent 15 \1/2\ years of that time
as a Senior Executive, applying science to the resolution of the
difficult issues arising from national and international management of
living marine resources. That experience is directly relevant to the
conservation of marine mammals and the duties of a Commissioner.
The employment history demonstrates a wide and varied career as a
scientist and manager. My early research focused on estimating the
abundance of marine resources that were subject to commercial and
Alaskan Native harvests. As a consequence of these scientific
activities, I began advising policy officials on the scientific aspects
of a variety of issues such as the subsistence harvest of northern fur
seals, incidental taking by the Japanese drift gillnet fishery, the
commercial harvest of whales regulated by the International Whaling
Commission (IWC), and the Alaska Eskimo hunt for bowhead whales. At
later stages of my career, while serving as a policy official or as one
of the agency's senior scientists, I worked on conserving Pacific
Northwest salmon, assessing and reducing the effects of the eastern
tropical Pacific tuna fishery on dolphins, managing interactions
between Hawaiian longline fisheries and sea turtles, recovery planning
for Hawaiian monk seals, and responding to the Makah Indian Tribe's
request for authorization to hunt gray whales. Consequently, I have
broad experience regarding the interplay between science, management,
and politics in formulating policy decisions of national and
international importance to the conservation of living marine
resources.
Although retired, I continue to work in the conservation arena,
advising the U.S. delegation to the International Whaling Commission
and serving as a Research Associate at the Center for Marine
Biodiversity and Conservation. I believe that I have much to offer in
terms of experience, knowledge, and a broadly strategic perspective
that would serve the Marine Mammal Commission well in these challenging
times.
19. What do you believe are your responsibilities, if confirmed, to
ensure that the department/agency has proper management and accounting
controls, and what experience do you have in managing a large
organization?
I am a strong believer in the use of three management tools to
ensure not only that fiscal goals are met but also that the correct
programs are being executed properly:
(1) Independent, annual audits and reviews. Inviting outside
experts to conduct audits of fiscal management is essential to
avoid waste or abuse and to ensure that established fiscal
management policies are being followed. Likewise, program
reviews conducted by outside experts give an independent check
on whether the appropriate priorities are being assigned, if
the agency's methods are appropriate to its mission and are
state-of-the-art, and opportunities exist for improving
performance.
(2) Periodic within-year management reviews. Within-year
management reviews should be done quarterly, if not more often,
to determine if schedules are being met, resources are
adequate, and any management or technical issues exist and to
identify steps to resolve any identified problems in a timely
way.
(3) Strategic planning. Strategic planning helps an agency
define its mission and goals, identify opportunities and assign
priorities, and develop a long view of how it needs to adapt to
change. Such an exercise builds credibility with constituents
and with those approving budget proposals and contributing to
budgets.
I learned about and used these three tools as the Director of the
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Conservation
Monitoring Center, which had 38 staff and a budget of $1 million, and
where I led strategic and fundraising efforts to obtain half of the
Center's annual budget. I also restructured the Center's employment and
pay systems and set up its first health care program.
As a Senior Executive with the National Marine Fisheries Service, I
continued to apply these tools. As the Deputy Assistant Administrator
for Fisheries, I was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the
Service, which at that time had more than 2,000 employees and an annual
budget of more than $250 million. I served on the team in 1991-92 that
developed the first strategic plan for the Fisheries Service, which
greatly influenced NOAA's overall budget planning strategy for FY 1993
and beyond. While serving as the Science Director of the Southwest
Fisheries Science Center, I managed the science programs conducted by
250 employees, with an annual budget of $50 million, based in four
laboratories and using four research vessels. One measure of my success
as a manager is that I earned Senior Executive Service bonuses for
outstanding performance for 12 of the 15 years in which I held such
positions.
20. What do you believe to be the top three challenges facing the
department/agency, and why?
The top three challenges include the following:
(1) Recognizing and responding to the ``globalization'' of the
conservation issues affecting the status of marine mammal
populations. The distributions and migrations of marine mammals
do not recognize the geographic borders established by
governments. Moreover, the issues that may impact the health of
marine mammal stocks, such as climate change, ocean pollution,
and anthropogenic noise, do not respect such boundaries.
Consequently, the conservation and management of marine mammals
will require regional and international cooperation in the
scientific investigation of these problems, as well as in the
development of appropriate management actions and mitigation
strategies.
(2) Increasing the amount and quality of scientific research
and monitoring. The current emphasis in the conservation and
management of living marine resources is ``to utilize an
ecosystem approach.'' Such an approach is warranted for marine
mammals existing in a global world in which the conservation
issues transcend borders. For agencies to undertake such a
task, however, significantly increased resources will be
required, as well as a commitment to apply appropriate program
and fiscal management tools that ensure the quality and
direction of the efforts.
(3) Recognizing marine mammals as bio-indicators for marine
environmental health. Marine mammals can serve as the veritable
``canaries in the coal mine,'' identifying issues arising in
the global oceans that may affect not only their viability, but
that of entire ecosystems. Because seals, whales, dolphins,
etc., share a common mammalian heritage with humankind, their
ills and calamities may also signal impending problems for
human society. Enhancing long-term monitoring efforts for
marine mammal stocks will not only assist in the early
identification of potential environmental issues along our
coasts and in the world's oceans but also increase the
information base required for an ecosystem-based approach to
science and conservation.
b. potential conflicts of interest
1. Describe all financial arrangements, deferred compensation
agreements, and other continuing dealings with business associates,
clients, or customers. Please include information related to retirement
accounts.
As noted in the Employment Listing under Item A.8 and in item E.7
below, I expect to enter into a new contract with NOAA/NMFS Alaska
Fisheries Science Center to provide support to the U.S. delegation to
the International Whaling Commission. I have no other financial
arrangements, deferred compensation agreements, or other continuing
dealings with business associates, clients, or customers.
My retirement accounts are as follows:
Annuity from Federal Civil Service Retirement System.
Thrift Savings Account from Federal service (no
disbursements drawn yet).
SEP IRA for self-employment (Vanguard LifeStrategy Income
Fund).
Spousal IRA for my wife (Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund).
2. Do you have any commitments or agreements, formal or informal,
to maintain employment, affiliation, or practice with any business,
association or other organization during your appointment? If so,
please explain.
In addition to the contract noted in the previous response, I
continue to serve as an unsalaried, non-resident Research Associate
with Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California at
San Diego. Otherwise, I do not have any such commitments, agreements,
or affiliations.
3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other
relationships which could involve potential conflicts of interest in
the position to which you have been nominated.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Marine Mammal Commission's
designated agency ethics official to identify potential conflicts of
interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will be resolved in
accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I have
transmitted to the Commission's designated agency ethics official and
that has been provided to this committee. I am not aware of any other
potential conflicts of interest.
4. Describe any business relationship, dealing, or financial
transaction which you have had during the last 10 years, whether for
yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as an agent, that could in
any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest in the
position to which you have been nominated.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Marine Mammal Commission's
designated agency ethics official to identify potential conflicts of
interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will be resolved in
accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I have
transmitted to the Commission's designated agency ethics official and
that has been provided to this committee. I am not aware of any other
potential conflicts of interest.
5. Describe any activity during the past 10 years in which you have
been engaged for the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the
passage, defeat, or modification of any legislation or affecting the
administration and execution of law or public policy.
As Deputy U.S. Commissioner to the International Whaling Commission
(1994-2004), I served as the principal technical adviser to the U.S.
Commissioner. Consequently, I assisted in the development and
implementation of U.S. policy at the International Whaling Commission.
In the absence of the U.S. Commissioner at annual and special meetings
of the Commission, I would lead the U.S. Delegation and serve as the
principle spokesperson.
6. Explain how you will resolve any potential conflict of interest,
including any that may be disclosed by your responses to the above
items.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Marine Mammal Commission's
designated agency ethics official to identify potential conflicts of
interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will be resolved in
accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I have
transmitted to the Commission's designated agency ethics official and
that has been provided to this committee. I am not aware of any other
potential conflicts of interest.
c. legal matters
1. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics
by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative
agency, professional association, disciplinary committee, or other
professional group? If so, please explain: No.
2. Have you ever been investigated, arrested, charged, or held by
any Federal, State, or other law enforcement authority of any Federal,
State, county, or municipal entity, other than for a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
3. Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer
ever been involved as a party in an administrative agency proceeding or
civil litigation? If so, please explain.
My wife and I were plaintiffs in two related civil cases:
05/1996--Against the former owner of a house we purchased for
non-disclosure of a neighborhood problem. Dismissed and
referred to mediation.
09/1997--Against a former neighbor for harassment. TRO issued
prohibiting the neighbor from harassment.
4. Have you ever been convicted (including pleas of guilty or nolo
contendere) of any criminal violation other than a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
5. Have you ever been accused, formally or informally, of sexual
harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or
any other basis? If so, please explain.
In 2003, an employee filed an EEO complaint alleging that, during
the process of filling a vacancy, I had discriminated against her based
upon race. While I disputed the claim, the case was not resolved prior
to my retirement from Federal service on 01/24/2004. I later was
informed that the Department of Commerce settled the case without
holding an EEO hearing and without a finding of fault.
6. Please advise the Committee of any additional information,
favorable or unfavorable, which you feel should be disclosed in
connection with your nomination: None.
d. relationship with committee
1. Will you ensure that your department/agency complies with
deadlines for information set by Congressional committees? Yes.
2. Will you ensure that your department/agency does whatever it can
to protect Congressional witnesses and whistle blowers from reprisal
for their testimony and disclosures? Yes.
3. Will you cooperate in providing the Committee with requested
witnesses, including technical experts and career employees, with
firsthand knowledge of matters of interest to the Committee? Yes.
4. Are you willing to appear and testify before any duly
constituted committee of the Congress on such occasions as you may be
reasonably requested to do so? Yes.
______
resume of michael f. tillman, ph.d.
Personal
Michael F. Tillman, U.S. citizen, Married, 2 sons, Alaskan
Native, member of Tlingit Indian Tribe.
Education
Ph.D., University of Washington, 1972.
M.S., University of Washington, 1968.
B.S., University of Washington, 1965 (cum laude in Fisheries
Science).
Recent Contributions
As Conference Chair, planned and convened the Society for
Marine Mammalogy's 16th Biennial Conference in San Diego, 2005.
Presented an invited paper to the Pew Symposium on the
Conservation of Whales in the 21st Century, New York, 2007.
Served on the U.S. delegation participating in two special and
three annual meetings of the International Whaling Commission,
2007-2009.
Published two peer-reviewed papers in 2007 and 2008, with a
third in review in 2009.
Experience
2/04 to present--Self-employed consultant.
Since retirement, under contract annually to NOAA/National
Marine Fisheries Service serving as a senior advisor to the
U.S. delegation to the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
Also serving as a non-resident Research Associate at the Center
for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution
of Oceanography, working on marine wildlife conservation
issues.
6/93 to 1/04--Science Director, ES-4, Southwest Fisheries Science
Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, 8604 La Jolla Shores Drive,
Jolla, CA 92037.
Senior executive responsible for overseeing, directing and
coordinating research programs that provided the scientific
basis for conservation and management of living marine
resources in the NMFS Southwest Region, including California,
Hawaii, and the Pacific Territories. Major research programs
focused on sustainable fisheries (groundfish, tunas and
billfish, sardines and anchovies, squid), recovering protected
resources (abalone, salmon, coastal marine mammals, whales and
dolphins, sea turtles, and Hawaiian monk seals), and habitat
conservation (marine protected areas, essential fish habitat,
and Antarctic ecosystems). The Center was comprised of more
than 250 permanent staff based in four research facilities,
with a budget of up to $50 million annually, and utilizing four
high-seas research vessels. Concurrently served as U.S.
Commissioner to Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, 1994-
1999, and Deputy U.S. Commissioner to IWC, 1994-2004. During
2001-2003, collaborated with Scripps Institution of
Oceanography to create the Center for Marine Biodiversity and
Conservation, culminating in a $3.5-million NSF Integrated
Graduate Education and Research Training Grant to establish a
new cross-disciplinary curriculum at Scripps.
8/92 to 5/93--Acting Director, ES-4, Office of Protected Resources,
National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.
Senior executive responsible for advising the Assistant
Administrator for Fisheries on policies and regulations
relating to implementation of the Endangered Species Act and
the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Oversaw the start-up of
recovery planning efforts for West Coast salmon stocks listed
under the Endangered Species Act. Served as the senior advisor
to the U.S. Commissioner to the IWC and in 1993 received the
Presidential Rank Award of Meritorious Executive for sustained
excellence in supporting U.S. goals of protecting whales
internationally and recovering protected species domestically.
7/90 to 7/92--Deputy Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, ES-4,
National Marine Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.
Senior executive responsible for directing the day-to-day
operations of the National Marine Fisheries Service, overseeing
the activities of more than 2,000 employees and an annual
budget of up to $250 million. As the agency's deputy director,
oversaw all fiscal, administrative, science, and regulatory
functions; coordinated and integrated operations with other
NOAA partners and other Federal, state, academic, and
international cooperators; and served as the agency's
spokesperson with Congress, constituents, and the media.
Testified before Congress on budgetary, management, and
programmatic issues. Served as the senior advisor to the U.S.
Commissioner to IWC and as the U.S. delegate to International
Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES).
7/88 to 6/90--Senior Scientist for Fisheries, ES-4, National Marine
Fisheries Service, Silver Spring, MD.
Appointed to the Senior Executive Service as the senior
executive responsible for overseeing the field-based research
and science programs undertaken by 22 NMFS science facilities
and ensuring their proper integration and coordination with
related national and international efforts. Initiated the
program for improving scientific quality and credibility by
implementing peer reviews of the agency's science programs.
Initiated agency participation in NOAA's major, new Climate
Change and Coastal Ocean Programs that cut across NOAA's
organizational line offices; these required a major cultural
change within NMFS since agency scientists had to compete for
available funds. Served as the senior advisor to the U.S.
Commissioner to IWC, and appointed to serve as the U.S.
delegate to ICES.
2/87 to 6/88--Chief, Conservation Science Division, GS-15, Office
of Protected Resources, National Marine Fisheries Service, Washington,
D.C.
Oversaw protected resource science and research activities
funded by the office, managing seven staff and an annual budget
of up to $11 million. Also managed the agency's U.S. Antarctic
Marine Living Marine Resources Program of directed research
having an annual budget of $2 million. Served as the scientific
advisor to the U.S. Commissioner to IWC.
11/83 to 1/87--Director, International Union for the Conservation
of Nature, Conservation Monitoring Center, Cambridge, England.
Served as the first professional director of the Center, which
provides information on the conservation status of wildlife and
their habitats worldwide. With a professional staff of 38, the
Center produced the prestigious series of Red Data Books and
Red Data Lists, which are used to define conservation issues
and to focus the efforts of IUCN and the World Wildlife Fund
International. Undertook strategic planning and fundraising
efforts that provided half the Center's funding. Chaired the
IWC Scientific Committee during the era when commercial catch
limits were phased out as a consequence of the moratorium on
commercial whaling.
8/79 to 10/83--Director, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, GS-15,
Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine
Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA.
Appointed first director of the laboratory established as the
principal source of scientific expertise on marine mammals
within NMFS. With a staff of 35, the laboratory undertook
research on the biology, life history, abundance, and
ecological roles of seals, dolphins and whales; their
interactions with fisheries; and the effects of environmental
change upon their populations. Continued personal research to
assess the status of whale stocks and led the U.S. scientific
team at IWC, also served as the Vice Chair of the IWC
Scientific Committee.
5/78 to 7/79--Deputy Director, Marine Mammal Division, GS-14,
Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine
Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA.
Assisted the director in developing plans for all research
undertaken and in its execution. Directly responsible for
preparing budgets, selecting and training personnel, arranging
contracts, and maintaining relationships with scientists of
other nations. Oversaw efforts to initiate a major new research
program to determine the status of bowhead whales. Continued
personal research to assess the status of whale stocks and led
the U.S. scientific team at the IWC's Scientific Committee.
7/74 to 4/78--Leader, Cetacean Research Unit, GS-12/GS-13, Marine
Mammal Division, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center,
Seattle, WA.
Supervised research to determine the status and trends of
bowhead whales, gray and humpback whales, and Dall's porpoise.
Also personally undertook research to assess the status of
commercially exploited whale stocks and participated in the
IWC's Scientific Committee, providing scientific support of
U.S. initiatives.
8/72 to 6/74--Fishery Biologist, GS-12, Marine Fish and Shellfish
Division, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA.
Supervised a modeling study of the Bering Sea marine ecosystem.
Also spent 1 year at the University of Washington teaching the
graduate series in fish population dynamics.
9/70 to 7/72--Pre-Doctoral Research Associate, Center for
Quantitative Science in Forestry, Fisheries and Wildlife, University of
Washington, Seattle, WA.
6/68 to 6/70--Active Military Service, U.S. Army, 1st Lieutenant,
Army Logistics Command, St. Louis, Captain, I Corps Group, South Korea.
9/65 to 5/68--Teaching Assistant, College of Fisheries, University
of Washington, Seattle, WA.
Honors and Awards
U.S. Army Commendation Medal, 1970.
Nominated for NMFS Employee of the Year, 1979.
Presidential Rank Award, Meritorious Executive, 1993, for
sustained excellence in supporting U.S. goals of protecting
whales internationally and recovering protected species
domestically (included $10,000 cash bonus).
Albert Schweitzer Medal, Animal Welfare Institute, 1994, for
whale conservation efforts (included $1,000 cash award).
Presidential Appointment, U.S. Commissioner to the Inter-
American Tropical Tuna Commission, 1994-1999.
Presidential Appointment, Deputy U.S. Commissioner to the
International Whaling Commission, 1994-2004.
Department of Commerce Bronze Medals for outstanding
contributions to international marine resource management:
1995: Fisheries bycatch in Chile; 1998: Tuna/dolphin
interactions; 2000: Japanese trade in whale products.
Nominated for NOAA Distinguished Career Award, 2003.
Senior Executive Service bonuses for outstanding performance
for 12 of the 15 years served, 1988-2004.
Professional Affiliations
Fellow, American Institute of Fishery Research Biologists.
Charter Member, Society for Marine Mammalogy.
Research Associate, Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
University of California, San Diego, 1994-1999, 2003-Present.
Selected International Experience
1974-1995, Member, IWC Scientific Committee (Elected Vice
Chairman 1979-1982, Elected Chairman 1982-1985).
1978-1980, Member, INPFC ad hoc Committee on Marine Mammals.
1979-1983 Member, Steering Committee for Marine Mammal Project,
US-USSR Agreement on Protection of the Environment.
1980-1981, Member, North Pacific Fur Seal Commission's
Scientific Committee.
1982-1990, Member, IUCN Species Survival Commission's Cetacean
Specialist Group (Chairman 1982-1983).
1984-1987, Member, Steering Committee, IUCN Species Survival
Commission.
1984, IUCN observer, CCAMLR.
1985, Co-Head of IUCN Delegation, Fifth Conference of CITES
Contracting Parties.
1987-present, Advisor to U.S. IWC delegation.
1988, Member, CCAMLR Scientific Committee.
1989-1991, Appointed U.S. Delegate to ICES.
1989-1990, Member, U.S. Delegation, PICES negotiations.
1993, Alternate U.S. Commissioner & Head of Delegation, 45th
Annual Meeting of IWC.
1994-1999, U.S. Commissioner to IATTC.
1994-2004, Deputy U.S. Commissioner to IWC.
1994-present, Member Emeritus, IUCN Species Survival
Commission.
1996-2003, U.S. Delegate to Interim Scientific Committee for
Tunas and Tuna-like Species in the North Pacific Ocean
(Chairman of ISC 1998-1999).
1999-2003, Invited Member, International Scientific Review
Team, United Kingdom, Center for Environmental Fisheries and
Agriculture Science: Undertook peer review of CEFAS' science
and research programs.
2004, 2007-2009, Member, U.S. delegation to IWC.
2007, Invited participant and presentation at the Pew Symposium
on the Conservation of whales in the 21st Century, New York.
Committee Appointments
NMFS Transition Board: Served for 2 years on team that led
successful efforts to reinvent NMFS.
NMFS Executive Board: Served two-year term on newly established
board that advised the NMFS directorate.
NOAA Operating Executive Resources Board: Served two-year term
on board advising NOAA directorate on Senior Executive Service
matters.
DOC Chapter of SEA: Served two-year term on Board of Directors
of Senior Executive Association's Department of Commerce
chapter.
NMFS PMAC: Served three-year term on NMFS Personnel Management
Advisory Committee.
Leadership Council: Served on executive body comprised of the
Senior NMFS Executives.
NMFS Science Board: Served on board comprised of NMFS Regional
Science Directors.
1998-2003, Member External Advisory Board, Center for
Environmental Analysis, an NSF Center of Research Excellence in
Science and Technology, California State University at Los
Angeles (a Minority Serving Institution).
2003-2005, Chair, Society for Marine Mammalogy's 16th Biennial
Conference.
2003-2008, Member, Steering Committee for IGERT Program, Center
for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, Scripps Institution
of Oceanography.
Item A.16 Primary Published or Creative Work--Michael F. Tillman, Ph.D.
1. Grinols, R.B., and M.F. Tillman. Importance of the worldwide
hake, Merluccius, resource. U.S. Fish. Wildl. Serv. Circ., 332:1-21.
(1970) Review Article
2. Tillman, M.F., and G.J. Paulik. Biological analysis of the
northern anchovy fishery system. Univ. Wash., Center for Quant. Sci.
Forest., Fish., Wildl. Quant. Sci. Pap. 28. 65 pp. (1971) Research
Article
3. Tillman, M.F. Assessment of north Pacific stocks of whales. Mar.
Fish. Rev., 37(10): 1-4. (1975) Research Article
4. Tillman, M.F. Additional evidence substantiating existence of
northern subpopulation of northern anchovy, Engraulis mordax. Fish.
Bull., U.S., 73(1):212-215. (1975) Research Note
5. Tillman, M.F, and D. Stadelman. Development and example
application of a simulation model of the northern anchovy fishery. Fish
Bull., U.S., 74(1):118-130. (1976) Research Article
6. Brown, G.M., J. Hammack, and M.F. Tillman. Mallard population
dynamics and management models. J. Wildl. Manage., 40(3):542-555. Also:
Resources for the Future Reprint 139. (1976) Research Article
7. Tillman, M.F. Estimates of stock size for the north Pacific
Bryde's whale. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 27:176-179. (1977) Research
Article
8. Tillman, M.F. Trends in abundance of sperm whales in three areas
of the north Pacific. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 27:343-350. (1977)
Research Article
9. Tillman, M.F., and J.M. Breiwick. Estimates of stock size for
exploitable north Pacific male sperm whales. Rep. int. Whal. Commn,
27:180-185. (1977) Research Article
10. Tillman, M.F. Estimates of population size for the North
Pacific sei whale. Rep. int. Whal. Commn. (Special Issue 1): 98-106.
(1977) Research Article
11. Tillman, M.F., and J.M. Breiwick. Estimates of stock size for
the Antarctic sei whale. Rep. int. Whal. Commn. (Special Issue 1):107-
112. (1977) Research Article
12. Tillman, M.F. Extrapolated initial and current stock sizes for
Southern Hemisphere sei whales. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 28:313-314.
(1978) Research Note
13. Tillman, M.F. Modified DeLury estimates of the North Pacific
Bryde's whale stock. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 28:315-318. (1978)
Research Article
14. Tillman, M.F. Some theoretical considerations in the
application of recruitment models to sei whale stock assessments. Rep.
int. Whal. Commn., 28:469-472. (1978) Research Article
15. Tillman, M.F. Estimates of abundance determined from catch per
unit effort and age distribution data for stocks of Southern Hemisphere
sei whales. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 28:473-476. (1978) Research Article
16. Mitchell, E.D., and M.F. Tillman. Scientific review of IWC
Scientific Permits. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 28:269-270. (1978) Note
17. Tillman, M.F. Introduction: A scientific perspective of the
bowhead whale problem. Mar. Fish. Rev., 42(9-10): 2-5. (1980) Review
Article
18. Tillman, M.F., and B. Grenfell. Estimates of abundance for the
western North Pacific stock of Bryde's whales. Rep. int. Whal. Commn.,
30:369-373. (1980) Research Article
19. Tillman, M.F. Estimated abundance of the Western North Pacific
stock of Bryde's Whales. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 31:385-388. (1981)
Research Article
20. Tillman, M.F., and D.G. Chapman. Further considerations of
reasons for a more conservative approach to whale management. Rep. int.
Whal. Commn., 31:601-604. (1981) Review Article
21. Tillman, M.F., and S. Oshumi. Japanese Antarctic pelagic
whaling prior to World War II: Review of catch data. Rep int. Whal.
Commn 31:625-627. (1981) Review Article
22. Tillman, M.F. Reanalysis of Area I [minke whale] sighting data
by means of revised Doi model. Rep. int. Whal. Commn 32:738. (1982)
Research Note
23. Tillman, M.F. Mark-recapture estimates of abundance for minke
whales in Southern Hemisphere Areas II and IV. Rep. int. Whal. Commn
32:740-1. (1982) Research Article
24. Tillman, M.F., and S.A. Mizroch. Mark-recapture estimates of
abundance for the western North Pacific Stock of Bryde's whales. Rep.
int. Whal. Commn 32:335-7. (1982) Research Article
25. Tillman, M.F., and J.M. Breiwick. Estimates of abundance for
the western North Pacific sperm whale based upon historical whaling
records. Rep. int. Whal. Commn (Special Issue 5):257-269. (1983)
Research Article
26. Tillman, M.F., and G. Donovan (eds.). Special Issue on
Historical Whaling Records. Including the Proceedings of the
International Workshop on Historical Whaling Records. Rep. int. Whal.
Commn (Special Issue 5), 269 pp. (1983) Book
27. Tillman, M.F., J.M. Breiwick, and D.G. Chapman. Reanalysis of
historical whaling data for the western Arctic bowhead whale
population. Rep. int. Whal. Commn (Special Issue 5):143-146. (1983)
Research Article
28. Tillman, M.F., and J.M. Breiwick. A note on mark-recapture
estimates for North Pacific Bryde's whales. Rep. int. Whal. Commn
33:443-445. (1983) Research Article
29. Breiwick, J.M., F. Kasamatsu, T. Miyashita, and M.F. Tillman.
Stock estimates of Northwest Pacific Bryde's Whales. Rep. int. Whal.
Commn 33:137-139. (1983) Research Article
30. Tillman, M.F. A comment on the objectives of the proposal for a
Japanese scientific permit. Rep. int. Whal. Commn 40:172-3. (1990) Note
31. Mangel, M., et al., (41 co-authors including M.F. Tillman).
Principles for the conservation of wild living resources. Ecol. Applic.
6(2):338-62. (1996) Review Article
32. Brownell, R.L., G. Notarbartolo di Sciara, P. Bergen,
M.Tillman, and A.J. Read. Further scrutiny of scientific whaling.
Science 290: 1696 (2000) Note
33. Clapham, P., S. Childerhouse, N. Gales, L. Rojas, M. Tillman,
and R. Brownell. The whaling issue: Conservation, confusion and
casuistry. Marine Policy 31(3): 314-19. (2007) Review Article
34. Tillman, M.F. The international management of aboriginal
whaling. Reviews in Fisheries Science 16(4):437-44. (2008) Review
Article
35. Mizroch, S., M. Tillman, S. Jurasz, O. Von Ziegesar, L. Herman,
A. Pack, S. Baker, J. Darling, D. Glockner-Ferrari, M. Ferrari, D.
Salden, and P. Clapham. Long-term survival of humpback whales radio-
tagged in Alaska from 1976 through 1978. Marine Mammal Science. (2009,
in review) Research Article
Other Work
1. Hall, J.D., and M.F. Tillman. A survey of cetaceans of Prince
William Sound and adjacent vicinity--their numbers and seasonal
movements, Pp. 681-708. In Environ. Assess. Alaskan Cont. Shelf Annu.
Rep. Princ. Invest. Vol. 1. Receptors-Mammals. (1977) Report
2. Braham, H., B. Krogman, S. Leatherwood, W. Marquette, D. Rugh,
M. Tillman, and J. Johnson. Preliminary report of the 1978 spring
bowhead whale research program results. Rep. int. Whal. Commn., 30:291-
306. (1979) Report
3. Tillman, M.F. Soviet time budget data for sperm whale
operations. Annex K to Rep. of Special Meeting on Sperm Whale
Assessment 27 November to 8 December 1978. Rep. int. Whal. Commn.
(Special Issue 2): 129. (1980) Note
4. Anon. Stock assessment activities within the National Marine
Fisheries Service. NOAA Tech., Mem. NMFS-SWFC-12. 130 pp. (M.F. Tillman
acknowledged as contributor). (1981) Technical Report
5. Tillman, M.F. Review of, Conservation and Management of Whales
by K. Radway Allen. J. Wildl. Manage., 45(4):1080 (1981) Book Review
6. Tillman, M.F. Preliminary comments on the implementation of
recovery planning for large cetaceans, Pp. 117-121. In P. Wray (ed.),
Proceedings Northeast Endangered Species Conference, Center for Action
on Endangered Species, Ayer, MA. (1982) Report
7. Tillman, M.F. You want the data? We have them. IUCN Bull. 15(7-
9):89-92. (1984) Report
8. Wachtel, P., and M.F. Tillman. WWF, IUCN step up efforts to curb
trade in endangered species. Envir. Awareness 8(1):9-10. (1985) Report
9. Tillman, M.F., and G.P. Donovan (eds.). Report of the workshop
on the behavior of whales in relation to management. Rep. int. Whal.
Commn (Special Issue 8): 1-56. (1986) Report
10. Tillman, M.F. International effort to control marine debris in
the Antarctic, Pp. 103-14. In R. S. Shomura and M. L. Godfrey (eds.),
Proceedings of the Second International Conference on Marine Debris, 2-
7 April 1989, Honolulu, Hawaii. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo.,
NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-154. (1990) Review Article
11. Tillman, M.F. The International Whaling Commission: Whale
conservation at the crossroads, Pp. 67-71. In S. Taylor (ed.),
Proceedings of the American Cetacean Society Fourth Biennial
Conference, They're Not Saved Yet, 9-11 November 1990, Monterey,
California. American Cetacean Society. (1991) Review Article
12. Tillman, M.F., J.M. Breiwick, and J.R. Twiss. Memories, Douglas
George Chapman. Mar. Mammal Sci. 13(1):165-8. (1997) Obituary
13. Tillman, M.F. The scientific and technical underpinnings of the
moratorium on commercial whaling. Background paper contributed to the
Pew Symposium on the State of Conservation of Whales in the 21st
Century, April 2007, New York (unpublished). 12 pp (2007) Review
Article
14. Mizroch, S., M. Tillman, S. Jurasz, O. Von Ziegesar, L. Herman,
A. Pack, S. Baker, J. Darling, D. Glockner-Ferrari, M. Ferrari, D.
Salden, and P. Clapham. 2008. Long-term survival of humpback whales
radio-tagged in Alaska from 1976 through 1978. Paper SC/60/O14
presented to the IWC Scientific Committee, June 2008, Santiago, Chile
(unpublished). 10 pp. (2008) Research Article
A. Work In Progress
1. Tillman, M.F. The scientific and technical underpinnings of the
moratorium on commercial whaling. (In prep.) Review Article
Item A.12: Memberships in Organizations
Professional (membership only)
1965-2003--American Fisheries Society
1973-present--American Institute of Fisheries Research
Biologists
1984-present--Society for Marine Mammalogy
1988-2003--Senior Executives Association
1998-2003--Society for Conservation Biology
2001-2002--Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native
Americans in Science
Educational/Charitable (membership only)
1997-present--Athenaeum Music & Arts Library
2000-2006--La Jolla Historical Society
2000--present--KSDS-Jazz88
2001-present--California Native Plant Society
2006-present--Quail Botanical Gardens
2007-present--San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy
2007-present--Batiquitos Lagoon Foundation
2007-2009--San Dieguito Heritage Museum
2007-present--Friends of Encinitas Library
Social/Fraternal (membership only)
1965-present--University of Washington Alumni Association
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Dr. Tillman.
Dr. Boness, thank you very much for being here.
STATEMENT OF DARYL J. BONESS, CHAIRMAN-DESIGNATE,
MARINE MAMMAL COMMISSION
Dr. Boness. Thank you, Madam Chairman, Ranking Member
Hutchison.
I am honored to be here before you as President Obama's
nominee for Chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission.
Growing up in the midst of dairy farming and paper mill
country in Wisconsin, I never could have imagined being given
this opportunity to serve in such a capacity. At that point,
marine mammals and the oceans were only pictures in my mind. It
is truly a privilege, and I thank the President, and I thank
you.
My interest in science began in advanced biology in high
school, and it was accelerated with encouragement of my
undergraduate advisor, Dr. Neil Wylie, who I would like to
thank for his guidance during those critical years of my
education.
I would also like to thank my family members, many mentors,
and friends who have given me unfailing encouragement to pursue
new challenges. And I would especially like to thank my wife,
Leslie, who is here in the audience with us today, and my
daughter Melissa, who, unfortunately, was unable to join us and
is currently in Colorado.
I did my graduate work in behavioral ecology in seals in
the North Atlantic, and that was actually my first foray into
marine mammal science. And in fact, it was not until I was an
undergraduate in college that I actually first observed an
ocean, and that was the Atlantic Ocean in Rockport,
Massachusetts, where my wife and I first went.
My early studies focused on basic biology and ecology of
several seal species with the aim of advancing biological
theories. However, through discussions with many of my
colleagues during those early years, I gained an awareness of
the need to contribute to conservation of marine mammals as
well.
It just so happens the opportunity and the appointment to
the Marine Mammal Commission's Committee of Scientific Advisors
on Marine Mammals gave me this opportunity. As a Member and
then Chairman of that committee, I believe that I have made
valuable contributions to promoting marine mammal research and
conservation.
I have also learned a great deal about the complex
challenges involved. Indeed, although we continue to increase
our scientific knowledge, marine mammals and our marine
ecosystems are facing new, emerging threats, and the challenges
of conservation are becoming even more complex and difficult.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act has had a profound effect
on the conservation of marine mammals and marine ecosystems.
Yet as human populations have grown, so, too, have our
interactions with marine mammals. Resolving the conflicts that
arise will not be easy, but we must find workable solutions.
We have already seen the extinction of two marine mammal
species in my lifetime, this being the Caribbean monk seal and
the Yangtze River dolphin. Several other marine mammal species
are perilously close to extinction.
In the face of such conservation challenges, I place a high
value not only on improving our scientific knowledge, but also
on fostering openness, fairness, and objectivity in applying
that science to achieve sustainable solutions.
[The prepared statement and biographical information of Dr.
Boness follows:]
Prepared Statement of Daryl J. Boness, Chairman-Designate,
Marine Mammal Commission
Chairman Rockefeller, Ranking Member Hutchinson, and distinguished
members of the Committee, I am honored to be here before you as
President Obama's nominee for Chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission.
As a relatively naive high school student in the midst of dairy farming
and paper mill country, I never could have predicted being given the
opportunity to serve in such a capacity. Marine mammals and the oceans
they inhabit only existed in pictures for me. It is truly a privilege
and I thank the President, and I thank you.
So, how did I get from there to here? I reached this point today
because my family, mentors, and friends have given me unfailing
encouragement to pursue new challenges. I have been blessed especially
by the support of my parents, siblings, in-laws, and particularly my
wife, Leslie, and daughter, Melissa. I grew up in a large family in
central Wisconsin where my father worked in a paper mill. He taught me
to respect our environment and natural resources, which in Wisconsin
meant forests, fields, rivers, and lakes. He also taught me to hunt and
fish as a means for putting food on the table. In those early years I
did not reflect much on the wonder of those resources, or think about
the fact that they would not be endless if managed in an unsustainable
manner.
My world expanded in high school, when I took advanced biology and
was introduced to the challenge of not only reading about science but
actually participating in it. The ideas and processes involved in
discovering new information and resolving questions through research
broadened my horizons. In college my advisor recognized my enthusiasm
for science, provided me opportunities for independent research, and
encouraged me to present my work at professional meetings and to
publish my results. I would like to acknowledge Dr. Neil Wylie for that
incredibly important encouragement and guidance during those critical
years of my education and training. I did indeed become a research
scientist.
It was also during college that Leslie provided my first
opportunity to see an ocean, the Atlantic, in Rockport, Massachusetts,
not far from where she grew up. Although I don't remember seals from
that snowy winter day, the ocean vista left a lasting impression of a
world extending beyond my gaze, now open to me. I realize that my
experiences as a teenager and a student gave me a deeper appreciation
of our natural resources and the environment in which we live. I began
noticing the clumps of foam and debris in the rivers and lakes I used
to fish and seeing the black sidewalks covered in soot from the local
foundry. These things were not new; I was just becoming more aware of
them. The quality of the environment was not a strong concern in
central Wisconsin in those days. However, from the time this august
body passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act, the Endangered Species
Act, and a whole suite of environmental legislation in the late 1960s
and early 1970s, we have begun to see the great value in, and need for,
conservation of our bountiful, but not endless, resources.
In graduate school I studied the behavioral ecology of seals in the
North Atlantic, my first foray into marine mammal science. While
presenting my research at a conference, I met a Smithsonian scientist
and learned that the National Zoological Park had an opening for a seal
biologist. I applied, had the good fortune of getting the job, and
began a career path that has led me to this position before you.
At the Smithsonian National Zoo, I began as a curator responsible
for some mammal exhibits, including those involving seals and sea
lions. I was also expected to conduct a research program on these seal
species. It was at this point that I began to recognize the importance
of communicating the results of my studies to a broader audience, not
just my colleagues and peers in science. I later held a full-time
research position at the Zoo and expanded my research program. In this
position as well, the Smithsonian strongly encouraged me to disseminate
the results of my studies to a wide audience, and I share the
Institution's conviction that science must be integrated into the many
facets of our society.
My early studies focused on the basic biology and ecology of
several seal species with the aim of advancing biological theories.
However, colleagues from the Smithsonian and elsewhere convinced me
that such research is also vitally important for conservation, as is
applied research.
For me this increased awareness coincided, in the mid-1990s, with
being appointed to the Marine Mammal Commission's Committee of
Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals.
As a member, and then Chairman, of that committee, I believe that I
have made valuable contributions to promote marine mammal research and
conservation. I also have learned a great deal about the complex
challenges involved. Indeed, although we continue to increase our
scientific knowledge, marine mammals and our marine ecosystems are
facing new, emerging threats, and the challenges of conservation are
becoming even more complex and difficult.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act has had a profound effect on the
conservation of marine mammals and, indeed, marine ecosystems. Yet, as
human populations have grown so, too, have our interactions with marine
mammals, whether we are trying to make a living or simply enjoy the
marine environment through recreation. Resolving the conflicts that
arise will not be easy, but we must find workable solutions. We have
already seen the extinction of two marine mammal species in my
lifetime, the Caribbean monk seal and the Yangtze River dolphin.
Several other marine mammal species are perilously close to extinction,
including the North Atlantic and North Pacific right whales, the
vaquita (a porpoise found only in the Gulf of California), and the
Mediterranean and Hawaiian monk seals, all of which number in the
hundreds.
In the face of such conservation challenges, I place a high value
not only on improving our scientific knowledge, but also on fostering
openness, fairness, and objectivity in applying that science to achieve
sustainable solutions. I believe these latter traits explain, in part,
why I was asked to serve as editor of the leading scientific journal
devoted to marine mammals and to serve multiple terms as a Scientific
Advisor to the Marine Mammal Commission.
The President's request that I now serve as Chairman of the Marine
Mammal Commission is a great honor and privilege. If I am confirmed,
the position will be a challenge but also an opportunity to help shape
policies that will further the conservation of marine mammals and the
ecosystems of which they are a part. Work with marine mammals has been
a central focus throughout much of my life, and I believe that I have
the necessary experience and motivation to guide the Commission as it
fulfills its important mission. I have the utmost respect for the
current members of the Marine Mammal Commission and its staff and the
scientists and managers of the institutions and agencies that the
Commission advises and oversees. Should I be confirmed, I welcome the
chance to work cooperatively and productively with these agencies to
further the goals of the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
______
a. biographical information
1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used): Daryl John
Boness.
2. Position to which nominated: Chairman, Marine Mammal Commission.
3. Date of Nomination: 20 January 2010.
4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):
Residence: Information not released to the public.
Office: I work from home--Hartford, ME 04220-5035.
5. Date and Place of Birth: March 22, 1950; Neenah, WI.
6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).
Leslie Fern Poland Boness (spouse); retired from Maryland
National Capital Park & Planning Commission Employees'
Retirement System; child: Melissa Margann Boness (daughter); 32
yrs old.
7. List all college and graduate degrees. Provide year and school
attended.
BA in Psychology & Biology; Cornell College, Iowa, 1968-1972.
MA in Psychology (Human Psychophysiology); Hollins College,
Virginia, 1972-1973.
PhD in Psychology (Behavioral Ecology/Animal Behavior),
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, 1973-1978 (degree
awarded in 1979).
8. List all post-undergraduate employment, and highlight all
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to
the position for which you are nominated.
Curator of Mammals, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian
Institution, 1978-1985.
Research Zoologist, National Zoological Park, Smithsonian
Institution, 1985-1997.
Chairman, Department of Zoological Research, National
Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, 1997-2000.
Senior Scientist and Head, Department of Conservation Biology,
National Zoological Park, Smithsonian Institution, 2000-2003.
Committee of Scientific Advisors to the Marine Mammal
Commission, 1993-present (Chairman of the Committee, 2008-
present).
Editor-in-Chief, for the scientific journal, Marine Mammal
Science, of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, 2007-present.
Items noted in italics are managerial positions.
9. Attach a copy of your resume. A copy is attached.
10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other
than those listed above, within the last 5 years.
Review Panelist for the Marine Mammal Commission to Evaluate
the Effectiveness of the North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery
Program, March, 2006.
One-time Service Contractor with North Pacific Research Board
(established by Congress) to review Steller Sea Lion Draft
Recovery Plan, 2007.
Member of Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force established
by the National Marine Fisheries Service under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act to advise the Secretary of Commerce on
management of California sea lions at Bonneville Dam preying on
salmon stocks listed under the Endangered Species Act, 2007-
present.
Chairman, Ordinance Committee for the Town of Hartford, Maine,
2008-present.
11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise,
educational, or other institution within the last 5 years.
Research Professor, University of Maine (uncompensated).
Graduate Student Thesis Committees, University of New England
(uncompensated).
Co-advisor, Graduate Student Thesis, La Rochelle University,
France (uncompensated).
Co-advisor, Graduate Student Thesis, Memorial University,
Canada (uncompensated).
Senior Research Associate, Smithsonian Institution
(uncompensated).
External Examiner on PhD Thesis, Macquarie University,
Australia.
Member, Board of Governors, and Editor in Chief of journal
Marine Mammal Science, Society for Marine Mammalogy.
Member, Board of Directors, Lake Anasagunticook Association,
Maine.
12. Please list each membership you have had during the past 10
years or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable,
educational, political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or
religious organization, private club, or other membership organization.
Include dates of membership and any positions you have held with any
organization. Please note whether any such club or organization
restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color, religion,
national origin, age, or handicap.
None of the organizations below restrict membership based on the
above factors:
Lake Anasagunticook Association, Maine, (Director 2004-2007),
2000-present.
Phi Beta Kappa, National Scholastic Honor Society, 1968-
present.
Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society, 1967-present
(President of local chapter in 1968).
Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society, 1981-present.
Animal Behavior Society, 1992-2004.
American Society of Mammalogists, 1984-2009.
International Society for Behavioral Ecology, 1995-2002.
Society for Conservation Biology, 1989-2000.
Society for Marine Mammalogy, 1985-present (Board of Governors
and Editor-in-Chief of Society's scientific journal, 2007-
present).
Washington Biologists Field Club, 1998-present (inactive, Board
of Directors, 1998-2000).
Stanton Bird Club 2008.
13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office
(elected, non-elected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are
personally liable for that debt.
Chairman, Ordinance Committee for the Town of Hartford, Maine
(appointed to standing committee by Board of Selectmen--no campaign
involved).
14. Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign
organization, political party, political action committee, or similar
entity of $500 or more for the past 10 years. Also list all offices you
have held with, and services rendered to, a state or national political
party or election committee during the same period: None.
15. List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honorary
society memberships, military medals, and any other special recognition
for outstanding service or achievements.
Beta Beta Beta National Biological Honor Society
Phi Beta Kappa National Scholastic Honor Society
Sigma Xi National Scientific Research Society
Hollins College Graduate Fellowship
Dalhousie University Graduate Fellowship
National Research Council of Canada Graduate Fellowship
Smithsonian Institution Exceptional Service Award, 1987
Smithsonian Institution Personal Recognition for Ingenuity,
Drive, and Excellence, 1994, 1995
Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Scholarly Leadership Award
Smithsonian Merit Pay Award for Outstanding Performance as
Department Head, 1998, 2001
16. Please list each book, article, column, or publication you have
authored, individually or with others. Also list any speeches that you
have given on topics relevant to the position for which you have been
nominated. Do not attach copies of these publications unless otherwise
instructed.
See attached list.
17. Please identify each instance in which you have testified
orally or in writing before Congress in a governmental or non-
governmental capacity and specify the date and subject matter of each
testimony: None.
18. Given the current mission, major programs, and major
operational objectives of the department/agency to which you have been
nominated, what in your background or employment experience do you
believe affirmatively qualifies you for appointment to the position for
which you have been nominated, and why do you wish to serve in that
position?
The Marine Mammal Commission was established under the Marine
Mammal Protection Act of 1972. The Commission oversees Federal
activities to promote the protection and conservation of marine mammals
and maintain the health and stability of the ecosystems of which they
are a part.
During my entire career I have sought to advance our understanding
of marine mammal behavior and ecology. Midway through my career, the
Marine Mammal Commission appointed me to serve as a member of its nine-
member Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals. I was
honored to accept and I have served the Commission ever since.
Prior to serving the Commission, had studied nearly half of all
seal species worldwide to investigate questions related to their
behavior, physiology, ecology, and genetics. Through my work on the
Commission's Committee of Scientific Advisors for the past seventeen
years, I have been able to expand my understanding of how scientific
information contributes to conservation management and policy.
As a member and then Chairman of the Committee of Scientific
Advisors I believe that I have made valuable contributions toward
marine mammal research and conservation. I also have learned a great
deal about the complex challenges involved. Indeed, although we
continue to increase our scientific knowledge, new threats are emerging
and the challenges are becoming even more complex and difficult to
address.
As human populations have grown so, too, have our interactions with
marine mammals, whether we are trying to make a living or simply enjoy
the marine environment through recreation. Resolving the conflicts that
arise will not be easy, but we must find workable solutions. We have
already seen the extinction of two marine mammal species in my life
time, the Caribbean monk seal and the baiji (Yangtze River dolphin).
Several other marine mammal species are perilously close to extinction,
including the North Atlantic right whale, the vaquita (a porpoise off
Baja, Mexico) and the Mediterranean and Hawaiian monk seals, all of
which number in the hundreds.
In the face of such conservation challenges, I place a high value
not only on improving our scientific knowledge, but also on fostering
openness, fairness, and objectivity in applying that science. I believe
these latter traits explain, at least in part, why I have been asked to
serve as editor of the leading scientific journal devoted to marine
mammals and to continue to serve as a Scientific Advisor to the Marine
Mammal Commission for multiple terms.
I consider the President's request that I now serve as Chair of the
Marine Mammal Commission to be a great honor and a privilege. The
position will be a challenge, but also a great opportunity to help
shape policies that will further the conservation of marine mammals
specifically, and marine ecosystems more generally. Work with marine
mammals has been a central focus throughout much of my life, and I
believe that I have the necessary experience and motivation to guide
the Commission as it fulfills this important mission. I have the utmost
respect for the scientists and managers of the institutions and
agencies that the Commission oversees and welcome the chance to work
cooperatively with them to further the goals of the Marine Mammal
Protection Act.
19. What do you believe are your responsibilities, if confirmed, to
ensure that the department/agency has proper management and accounting
controls, and what experience do you have in managing a large
organization?
The Marine Mammal Commission is a relatively small agency that is
comprised of approximately 14 staff, 9 members of the Committee of
Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals, and 3 Commissioners. The
Department I led at the Smithsonian Institution was of similar size and
composed of similar professional and support staff. I have experience
in all facets of managing such an organization, including working
through times of extreme budget constraints and competing programmatic
needs.
The Marine Mammal Commission has an excellent staff that includes
an Executive Director who is responsible for guiding the complex and
diverse tasks of the Commission's daily operations. My job should I be
confirmed, in consultation with the two other Commissioners and the
Executive Director, will be to set the agency's direction and oversee
the entire operation of the Commission staff and Committee of
Scientific Advisors. If confirmed, I expect to be in frequent contact
with the other Commissioners, Committee members, and the Executive
Director to assure that proper management and accounting controls
continue to be followed and the Commission's priorities continue to be
properly set. Should I be confirmed, I also anticipate visiting the
Commission's office in Bethesda, Maryland, to meet with staff and
discuss operational and programmatic issues on an as-needed basis.
20. What do you believe to be the top three challenges facing the
department/agency, and why?
The Marine Mammal Protection Act requires that management of marine
mammal populations be based on the ``best scientific information
available.'' In practice, the best scientific information may not be
sufficient to resolve management issues with complete certainty. In the
face of equivocal information, the greatest challenge often involves
convincing stakeholders of the need to take action to prevent
irreversible consequences (e.g., extinction), but also to prevent
situations where the economic, ecological, and social costs of
conservation remedies become excessive. Conservation truly is one of
those endeavors in which an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure. In this regard, the Commission has long been known for
communicating its recommendations and rationale clearly, for bringing
stakeholders together to solve problems interactively, and for
anticipating problems and devising solutions before costs and
consequences become excessive. As Chair of the Commission I would
maintain an anticipatory, interactive approach to problem-solving.
Known and potential threats to marine mammals and marine ecosystems
are numerous and often intertwined. In 2003 the Commission convened a
multinational group of scientists to describe key threats to marine
mammals and identify the research needed to inform management efforts.
Based in large part on that review, I believe the most important issues
include the effects of global climate change on marine mammals and
marine ecosystems; the degradation of marine habitat through the
introduction of pollutants and resulting unusual mortality events
involving marine mammals, seabirds, fishes, and invertebrates; and, on
a global basis, the continued loss of marine mammals as bycatch in
fisheries.
Finally, a continuing challenge for the Marine Mammal Commission is
to improve research and management strategies for preventing marine
mammal populations from becoming depleted, threatened, or endangered,
and to improve the success of recovery efforts for those that have
reached such status. Conservation efforts often are impaired
significantly by lack of basic stock assessment information. A recently
published evaluation of stock assessment efforts indicates that current
methods are not sufficient to detect as much as a 50 percent decline in
72 percent of large whale species, 78 percent of dolphins and porpoises
and 100 percent of ice-breeding seal species. One of our significant
challenges will be to identify and encourage innovations to overcome
these assessment limitations. Without better methods to assess
population trends and detect developing problems we will lose
opportunities to address problems before they become crises, when
solutions can be easier to develop and at substantially less cost.
As part of this effort, the Marine Mammal Commission must continue
to work closely with other agencies responsible for the conservation
and management of marine mammals: the National Marine Fisheries Service
and the Fish and Wildlife Service. Doing so is essential if we are to
preserve the long-term well-being of marine mammal populations and the
health and stability of the marine ecosystem, as directed by Congress
when it passed the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
b. potential conflicts of interest
1. Describe all financial arrangements, deferred compensation
agreements, and other continuing dealings with business associates,
clients, or customers. Please include information related to retirement
accounts.
Retired Federal employee (Smithsonian Institution) receiving a
monthly benefit.
My spouse is retired from the Maryland National Capital Park &
Planning Commission Employees' Retirement System and has a
401(k) & 457 retirement account administered by ICMA Retirement
Corp.
I presently receive a stipend from the Society for Marine
Mammalogy in support of serving as Editor-in-Chief of its
scientific journal.
I presently receive compensation on an hourly basis for my
services as Chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission's
Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals.
2. Do you have any commitments or agreements, formal or informal,
to maintain employment, affiliation, or practice with any business,
association or other organization during your appointment? If so,
please explain.
I have informally agreed to continue serving as Editor-in-Chief of
Marine Mammal Science, the journal of the Society for Marine Mammalogy.
I have been advised that potential conflicts of interest can be avoided
through a recusal agreement, although I could resign from this position
if necessary. My non-salaried Research Professorship at the University
of Maine requires that I serve periodically on student thesis
committees and collaborate with other researchers in the department or
elsewhere, at my discretion. This appointment is renewed on an annual
basis. I also could terminate this position at any time if necessary.
At this time, I would prefer to maintain this position as I believe
strongly in supporting the education of our next generation of research
scientists.
3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other
relationships which could involve potential conflicts of interest in
the position to which you have been nominated.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Marine Mammal Commission's
designated agency ethics official to identify potential conflicts of
interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will be resolved in
accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I have
transmitted to the Commission's designated agency ethics official and
that has been provided to this committee. That said, I am not aware of
any potential conflicts of interest.
4. Describe any business relationship, dealing, or financial
transaction which you have had during the last 10 years, whether for
yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as an agent, that could in
any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest in the
position to which you have been nominated.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Marine Mammal Commission's
designated agency ethics official to identify potential conflicts of
interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will be resolved in
accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I have
transmitted to the Commission's designated agency ethics official and
that has been provided to this committee. That said, I am not aware of
any potential conflicts of interest.
5. Describe any activity during the past 10 years in which you have
been engaged for the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the
passage, defeat, or modification of any legislation or affecting the
administration and execution of law or public policy.
My wife and I gave testimony before the State of Maine
Legislature's Committee on Natural Resources opposing a proposed bill
that would have targeted our town for an unfair share of costs related
to a dam in the neighboring town that controls a shared lake. However,
we were not engaged by any party to present that testimony, which was
given in our personal capacities.
6. Explain how you will resolve any potential conflict of interest,
including any that may be disclosed by your responses to the above
items.
In connection with the nomination process, I have consulted with
the Office of Government Ethics and the Marine Mammal Commission's
designated agency ethics official to identify potential conflicts of
interest. Any potential conflicts of interest will be resolved in
accordance with the terms of an ethics agreement that I have
transmitted to the Commission's designated agency ethics official and
that has been provided to this committee. I am not aware of any other
potential conflicts of interest.
c. legal matters
1. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics
by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative
agency, professional association, disciplinary committee, or other
professional group? If so, please explain: No.
2. Have you ever been investigated, arrested, charged, or held by
any Federal, State, or other law enforcement authority of any Federal,
State, county, or municipal entity, other than for a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
3. Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer
ever been involved as a party in an administrative agency proceeding or
civil litigation? If so, please explain: No.
4. Have you ever been convicted (including pleas of guilty or nolo
contendere) of any criminal violation other than a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
5. Have you ever been accused, formally or informally, of sexual
harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or
any other basis? If so, please explain: No.
6. Please advise the Committee of any additional information,
favorable or unfavorable, which you feel should be disclosed in
connection with your nomination: None.
d. relationship with committee
1. Will you ensure that your department/agency complies with
deadlines for information set by Congressional committees? Yes.
2. Will you ensure that your department/agency does whatever it can
to protect Congressional witnesses and whistle blowers from reprisal
for their testimony and disclosures? Yes.
3. Will you cooperate in providing the Committee with requested
witnesses, including technical experts and career employees, with
firsthand knowledge of matters of interest to the Committee? Yes.
4. Are you willing to appear and testify before any duly
constituted committee of the Congress on such occasions as you may be
reasonably requested to do so? Yes.
______
curriculum vitae of daryl j. boness
Present Position
Research Professor
Department of Wildlife Ecology
and School of Marine Science
University of Maine
Orono, ME
Senior Scientist (Retired)
Conservation and Research Center
National Zoological Park
Smithsonian Institution
Washington, DC
Education
B.A. Cornell College, Iowa
M.A. Hollins College, Virginia
Ph.D. Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia
1972 Biology and Psychology
1973 Human Psychophysiology
1979 Behavioral Ecology (in Psychology)
Honors and Awards
B.A. Degree, Magna Cum Laude
Beta Beta Beta, National Biological Honor Society, 1971 (Chapter
President)
Phi Beta Kappa, National Scholastic Honor Society, 1972
Hollins College Graduate Fellowship, 1972 to 1973
Dalhousie University Graduate Fellowship, 1973 to 1975
National Research Council of Canada Graduate Fellowship, 1975 to 1978
Sigma Xi Research Society, 1981
Smithsonian Institution Exceptional Service Award, 1987
Smithsonian Institution Personal Recognition for Ingenuity, Drive, and
Excellence, 1994, 1995
Smithsonian 150th Anniversary Scholarly Leadership Award, 1996
Smithsonian Merit Pay Award for Performance as Department Chair, 1998
Smithsonian Merit Pay Award for Outstanding Performance as Department
Head, 2001
Professional Experience
Curator of Mammals: In charge of aquatic vertebrate (seal, beaver, and
otter), bear, canid, and felid collections; supervised 11 animal
keepers; assisted in the design of an aquatic habitat complex
($12,000,000; never completed); performed research in the field and at
the zoo; 1978 to 1985
Research Zoologist: Responsible for conducting original research on
marine mammal behavior and advising zoo husbandry staff on seal
husbandry and water quality; 1985 to 1996
Acting Assistant Director for Research, National Zoological Park:
Headed the Research Department while the Assistant Director for
Research was on sabbatical; supervised department staff (7 staff
research scientists, 8 postdoctoral associates, and 7 graduate
students); chaired the Research Council (a review and policy-making
board of 17 Ph.D. or D.V.M. staff); represented the research interests
of the Zoo at high-level Zoo and Smithsonian meetings; December 1986 to
April 1987
Scientific Advisor, U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, executive branch;
1993 to present
Research Professor, Department of Biology, American University; 1994 to
2003
Acting Head, Department of Zoological Research: completed six-month
detail as Head of the Department following abolishment of the Assistant
Director's position (the previous position that had responsibility for
running the Department) and in the interim to establishing a rotating
Department Chair. I had ultimate responsibility for running the
Department of Zoological Research, which consisted of 7 research
scientists (GS-12 to Senior Scientist level), 9 technical and
administrative support staff, and a varying number of associates,
postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate students; November
1996 to May 1997
Chairman, Department of Zoological Research, National Zoological Park:
I had ultimate responsibility for running the Department of Zoological
Research, which consisted of 11 research scientists (GS-12 to Senior
Scientist level), 10 technical and administrative support staff, and a
varying number of associates, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and
undergraduate students. The Department included a molecular genetics
laboratory, comparative nutrition laboratory, a sound and video
analysis laboratory, a migratory bird center, and a public science
education exhibit area with several functional labs open to the public;
May 1997 to September 2000
Senior Scientist and Head, Department of Conservation Biology, National
Zoological Park: In a reorganization of the Zoo, several operations
were merged into a new department, which I headed. The department
consists of 24 research scientists (GS-12 to Senior Scientist level),
12 technical and administrative support staff, and varying numbers of
associates, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate and undergraduate
students. The department is comprised of several units: Genetics;
Comparative and Clinical Nutrition; Behavior, Ecology and Population
Biology; Migratory Bird Center; Monitoring and Assessment of
Biodiversity Program; International Wildlife and Conservation Training
Program and Public Science Outreach. The mission of the department is
to advance the preservation of biodiversity through research,
conservation activities, training of young professionals and public
education; May 1997 to December 2003
Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Canada;
1999 to 2003
Adjunct Professor, Department of Biology, La Rochelle University,
France; 1999 to 2004
Smithsonian Senior Scientist (retired and Research Associate); January
2004 to present
Research Professor, Department of Wildlife Ecology and School of Marine
Science, University of Maine, Orono; July 2005 to present
Member, Committee of Scientific Advisors for the U.S. Marine Mammal
Commission; December 1993 to present (Chairman, 2008 to present)
Editor-in-Chief of Marine Mammal Science, the scientific journal of the
Society for Marine Mammalogy; December 2007 to present
Professional Organizations
American Society of Mammalogists (currently inactive)
Animal Behavior Society (currently inactive)
Society for Marine Mammalogy (Charter Member)
Society for Conservation Biology (currently inactive)
International Society for Behavioral Ecology (currently inactive)
Washington Biologists Field Club (Life Member)
Committees and Appointments
Within Smithsonian:
National Zoological Park Ad Hoc Children's Zoo Committee, 1985 to
1986
National Zoological Park Information Services Panel, 1985 to 1988
National Zoological Park Water Quality Control Committee, 1986 to
1989 (Chairman, 1986)
Smithsonian Institution Academic Program Committee for
Environmental Sciences, 1987 to 1989
National Zoological Park Committee on Science and Exhibits, 1987 to
1989 (Chairman)
National Zoological Park Institutional Animal Care and Use
Committee, 1989 to 1993
National Zoological Park Research Council, Chairman, 1993 to 2001
Smithsonian Institution Congress of Scholars, representative for
National Zoological Park, 1994 to 1997
Planning Committee, Learning is a Family Experience Education
Program, National Zoological Park, 1994 to 1997
National Zoological Park Committee on Technology and Education,
1995 to 1999
National Zoological Park/Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Review
Committee Chair, 1995 to 2003
National Zoological Park Planning and Design Committee for new
exhibit on water, 1997 to 2000
Session Facilitator, pan-Smithsonian conference on research and
educational outreach, 1997
Member of the National Zoological Park Senior Management Team (
advise the Director on Zoo on policy and direction), 1997 to 2003
Smithsonian Institution Grant Review Panel for Seidell Foundation
Grants, 1997 to 2003
Interagency Review of Grade Evaluation of Research Scientists, 1998
Outside Smithsonian:
Board of Scientific Advisors, Okeanos Oceanographic Foundation,
1980 to 1996
Professional Consultant, Graduate Studies in Museum Sciences,
George Washington University, 1981 to 1984
Chair, Behavior Session, International Marine Mammal Conference,
1989
Conference Awards Committee, Marine Mammal Society, 1991
Institute of Museum Services, Conservation Program Grants, Field
Reviewer, 1994
Institute of Museum Services, Panel to Review the Program for
Conservation Grants, 1994
Chair, Behavior Session, International Marine Mammal Conference,
1995
Student Awards Judge, International Marine Mammal Conference, 1995
Review Panel to Evaluate the Hawaiian Monk Seal Research Program,
U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1995
Review Panel to Evaluate Pinniped Research Program, Alaska
Department of Fish and Game, 1995
Scientific Review Board for GulfCet II Project, Texas Institute of
Oceanography, Texas A&M University at Galveston, 1996 to 1999
Review Panel Institute of Museum Services Conservation Program
Grants, 1996
Marine Mammal Negotiated Rulemaking Advisory Committee (Observer
for Marine Mammal Commission), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Animal
and Plant Health Inspection Service, 1996
Member, Organizing Committee, Animal Behavior Society Annual
Meeting, 1997
Member, Marine Mammal Committee, American Society of Mammalogists,
1997 to 2006
Abstract Review Committee (Behavior Chair), International Marine
Mammal Conference, 1997
Abstract Review Committee, Symposium on Hawaiian and Mediterranean
Monk Seal Conservation and Biology, 1997
Review Panel to Evaluate Steller Sea Lion Recovery Program
(Behavior), U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1997
Steering Committee, Millennium Marine Mammal Symposium at Annual
Meeting, American Society of Mammalogists, 1998 to 1999
Nominated for President-Elect, Society for Marine Mammalogy, 1998
(not elected)
Session Chair, Human and Animal Acceptability Studies, Sonic Boom
Symposium, Acoustical Society of America, 1998
Review Panel to Evaluate Marine Mammal Research Programs, Office of
Naval Research, 1998
Elected to Washington Biologists Field Club, 1998 to present (Board
Member, 1999, 2000)
Review Panel to Evaluate Steller Sea Lion Recovery Program
(Physiology), U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 1999
Scientific Program Committee (Mating Behavior and Reproduction
Subcommittee Chair), 13th Biennial International Marine Mammal
Conference, 1999
Associate Editor, Marine Mammal Science, 2000 to 2005
Member, Selection Committee to Recommend Hiring a Scientific
Program Director, U.S. Marine Mammal Commission, 2000
Ad Hoc Selection Committee for American Association for the
Advancement of Science, Diplomacy Fellowship Program, 2001
Invited participant for workshop on Implementation of Education
Reform in Conservation Biology sponsored by George Mason University and
funded by the U.S. Department of Education, 2001
Abstract Review Committee, International Marine Mammal Conference,
Vancouver, BC, 2001
Review Panel to Evaluate Research and Management Program for
Hawaiian Monk Seals, Marine Mammal Commission and National Marine
Fisheries Service, Honolulu, 2002
Consulted for Marine Mammal Commission and Fish and Wildlife
Service to evaluate captive polar bears in a circus in Puerto Rico,
November 2002
Rapporteur for a section of a working group to develop a plan to
manage the potential conflicts associated with the increase in Hawaiian
monk seals at the main Hawaiian Islands, December 2002
Invited participant for Consultation on Future Directions in Marine
Mammal Research, co-convened by the Marine Mammal Commission and the
National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, Portland, OR, August 2003
Participated in review of science synthesis document and advised on
animal welfare issues in research for a Federal advisory panel to the
Marine Mammal Commission on Effects of Ocean Noise on Marine Mammals,
2004 to 2005
Review Panel to Evaluate the Effectiveness of the North Atlantic
Right Whale Recovery Program, March 2006
NOAA Fisheries Pinniped-Fishery Interaction Task Force to advise
Secretary of Commerce on lethal take option for California sea lions
preying on ESA listed salmon at the Bonneville Dam, September 2007 to
2009
Board of Governors of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, December
2007 to present
Reviewer for Journals and Grants
Journals:
American Naturalist
Animal Conservation
Animal Behaviour
Aquatic Mammals Behaviour
Behavioral Ecology
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology
Biological Conservation
Biological Journal of the Linnaean Society Bioacoustics
Brazilian Archives Biology and Technology
Canadian Journal of Zoology
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology
Ecological Applications
Ethology
Journal of Animal Ecology
Journal of Mammalogy
Journal Marine Biological Association, UK
Journal of Wildlife Management
Marine Ecology Progress Series
Marine Mammal Science
Nature
Proceedings of the Royal Society
Wildlife Research
Granting Agencies:
Center for Field Studies
Florida Sea Grant Program
National Geographic Society
National Institutes of Health
National Science and Engineering Research Council, Canada
National Science Foundation
Natural Environment Research Council, UK
Inter-American Foundation
Institute of Museum Service, Conservation Whitehall Foundation
Australian Research Council
American Philosophical Society
Grants Received
Walrus behavior (with E.H. Miller)
National Geographic Society, World Wildlife Fund Canada,
Smithsonian Institution Research Opportunities Fund, (1980)
$21,500
Resident microflora of grey seals
Friends of the National Zoo, Okeanos Foundation (1981) $13,800
Maternal strategy of the California sea lion (with O.T. Oftedal and
K.A. Ono)
Friends of the National Zoo (1981 to 1986) $110,430
American Museum of Natural History, Lerner-Grey Fund (1983)
$1,000
Center for Environmental Education, (1984) $1,000
Lactation in hooded and harp seals (with O.T. Oftedal and W.D.
Bowen)
Smithsonian Institution Research Opportunities Fund (1984)
$4,700
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (in-kind ship and
helicopter support) $300,000
Hawaiian monk seal fostering behavior
Smithsonian Institution Research Opportunities Fund (1986)
$4,000
Friends of the National Zoo (1987 to 1989) $43,000
National Marine Fisheries Service (1987 to 1989) (in-kind ship
and field support through W. Gilmartin) $39,000
Lactation and maternal care in harbor seals (with O.T. Oftedal)
Friends of the National Zoo (1988 to 1992) $99,700
Smithsonian Institution Research Opportunities Fund (1987)
$3,200
Mating and lactation strategies of the Juan Fernandez fur seal
(with J.M. Francis)
Friends of the National Zoo (1988 to 1991) $70,000
National Geographic Society (1990) $8,300
Smithsonian International Exchange Program (1990) $8,500
Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Grant (1990 to 1991) $76,230
Long-term studies of life history and reproductive success of
female harbor and grey seals on Sable Island, Nova Scotia (with W.D.
Bowen and S.J. Iverson)
Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada (1988 to 2003) (in-
kind field support, through W.D.B.) $120,000
Friends of the National Zoo (1988 to 2003) $75,000
National Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada
(1993 to 2003) (in-kind field and lab support, through W.D.B.
and S.J.I.) $35,000
Christensen Fund (2002 to 2003) $94,000
How prevalent is fostering behavior in the harbor seal?
Friends of the National Zoo (1991 to 1992) $21,800
Male copulatory success in three species of fur seals interbreeding
on Macquarie Island (with S. Goldsworthy)
Australian Antarctic Science Advisory Committee (1992 to 1993)
$208,636
Friends of the National Zoo (1994) $21,000
Do inclusive fitness benefits contribute to fostering in colonially
breeding phocid seals? (with E. Perry and R. Fleischer)
Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Grant (1993 to 1994) $42,500
An underwater video system to investigate the aquatic mating system
of the harbor seal
National Geographic Television (with G. Marshall) (1994 to
1995) $12,000
Smithsonian Institution Restricted Endowment Funds (1994 to
1996) $17,100
International symposium on the reproductive strategies and
conservation biology of otariid seals (April 1996)
Wildlife Conservation Society (with P. Majluf) (1995) $8,000
Office of Naval Research (with P.Majluf) (1995) $7,500
Smithsonian Institution (Office of Fellowships and Grants,
150th Anniversary) $10,000
QANTAS Airways Ltd. (1996) $10,400 (in-kind support)
The effects of sonic booms on the behavior and physiology of grey
and harbor seals
National Atmospheric and Space Administration (1996 to 1998)
$254,754
Bringing biological sciences to the Latino community: the Latino
initiative at the National Zoological Park (an educational outreach and
training grant) (with D. Jenkins, M. Roberts, C. Ruiz, and A. Cerezo)
Office of the Provost, Smithsonian Institution (1997 to 1998)
$90,000
A natural experiment on the effect of environmental changes on
mating systems (with P. Majluf)
Smithsonian Research Opportunities Funds ,$1,500
Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Grant (1997 to 1998) $67,570
Foraging and attendance patterns in Humboldt penguins (with S.
Taylor, M. Leonard, and P. Majluf)
Friends of the National Zoological Park (1998) $6,000
George S. Sisley Endowment Fund (1998) $5,400
Oregon Zoo Foundation (1998 to 1999) $6,738
An investigation of mate choice in South American fur seals using
GPS technology (with S. Insley)
Smithsonian Restricted Endowment Grant (1998) $10,000
Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Grant (1998 to 1999) $24,000
Variation in pup survival in heat-stressed populations of South
American fur seals: Effects of habitat features, social environment and
behavior
Abbott Restricted Endowment Fund (2000) $3,000
George S. Sisley Endowment Grant (2001) $5,340
Alternative male reproductive tactics in the grey seal: a new
approach
Friends of the National Zoo (1997 to 2003) $41,000
Abbott Restricted Endowment Fund (2000 to 2001) $14,300
Smithsonian Scholarly Studies Grant (2002 to 2003) $68,912
Sustaining conservation programs at the Smithsonian Conservation
and Research Center (with C. Wemmer and S. Derrickson), supports
multiple projects of Center scientists
Christensen Fund (2002 to 2003) $1,200,000
Sex differences in foraging behavior of thick-billed murres (with
R. Paredes)
Abbott Restricted Endowment Fund (2002) $9,500
Longitudinal study of male mating tactics in grey seals of varying
ages
Friends of the National Zoo (2003) $5,000
Abbott Restricted Endowment Fund (2004) $8,000
Post-weaning fast and physiological development in juvenile and
yearling grey seals (with S. Noren-Kramer)
Friends of the National Zoo (2003) $4,000
Capital expenditure, lactation energetics and the importance to
Weddell seals and their pups (with O. Oftedal and R. Eisert)
National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs (2006 to
2008) $393,887
______
Item A.16 Primary Published Work and Speeches
Daryl J. Boness, Ph.D.--February 2010
Peer-Reviewed Publications in Journals and Books
1. Boness, D.J., and Wylie, N.R. 1971. Experiential factors affect
red and blue color preferences in neonatal chickens, Gallus gallus.
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Sciences 77:271-275.
2. McGuigan, F.J., and Boness, D.J. 1975. What happens between an
external stimulus and an overt response? A study of covert behavior.
Pavlovian Journal of Biological Science 10:112-118.
3. Miller, E.H., and Boness, D.J. 1979. Remarks on the display
function of the snout of the grey seal, Halichoerus grypus (Fab.), with
comparative notes. Canadian Journal of Zoology 57:140-148.
4. Boness, D.J., and James, H. 1979. The reproductive behavior of
the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) on Sable Island, Nova Scotia.
Journal of Zoology (London) 188:477-500.
5. Montali, R., Bush, M., Strandberg, J., Janssen, D.L., Boness,
D.J., and Whitla, J.C. 1981. A cyclic dermatitis in pinnipeds
associated with Fusarium solani. Journal of the American Veterinary
Medical Association 179:1198-1203.
6. Boness, D.J., Anderson, S.S., and Cox, C.R. 1982. Functions of
female aggression during the pupping and mating season of grey seals
(Halichoerus grypus Fabricius). Canadian Journal of Zoology 60:2270-
2278.
7. Miller, E.H., and Boness, D.J. 1983. Summer behavior of Atlantic
walruses, Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus at Coats Island, N.W.T. (Canada).
Zietschrift fur Saugertierkunde 48:298-313.
8. Boness, D.J. 1984. Activity budget of male grey seals,
Halichoerus grypus. Journal of Mammalogy 65:291-297.
9. Bowen, W.D., Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D.J. 1985. Birth to
weaning in 4 days: Remarkable growth in the hooded seal, Cystophora
cristata. Canadian Journal of Zoology 63:2841-2846.
10. Boness, D.J. 1985. The role of zoos in the conservation of
marine mammals. Proceedings of the Symposium on Endangered Marine
Animals and Marine Parks 1:429-439.
11. Bowen, W.D., Boness, D.J., and Oftedal, O.T. 1987. Mass
transfer from mother to pup and subsequent mass loss by the weaned pup
in the hooded seal, Cystophora cristata. Canadian Journal of Zoology
65:1-8.
12. Oftedal, O.T., Boness, D.J., and Tedman, R. 1987. The behavior,
physiology and anatomy of lactation in the Pinnipedia, Current
Mammalogy 1:175-245.
13. Ono, K.A., Boness, D.J., and Oftedal, O.T. 1987. The effect of
a natural environmental disturbance on maternal investment and pup
behavior in the California sea lion. Behavioral Ecology and
Sociobiology 21:109-118.
14. Oftedal, O.T., Iverson, S.J., and Boness, D.J. 1987. Milk and
energy intakes of suckling California sea lion (Zalophus californianus)
pups in relation to sex, growth and predicted maintenance requirements.
Physiological Zoology 60:560-575.
15. Thompson, S.D., Ono, K.A., Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D.J.
1987. Thermoregulation and resting metabolic rates in the California
sea lion, Zalophus californianus. Physiological Zoology 60:730-736.
16. Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and Oftedal, O.T. 1988. Evidence of
polygyny from spatial patterns in the hooded seal (Cystophora
cristata). Canadian Journal of Zoology 66:703-706.
17. Oftedal, O.T., Boness, D.J., and Bowen, W.D. 1988. The
composition of hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) milk: An adaptation
for postnatal fattening. Canadian Journal of Zoology 66:318-322.
18. Oftedal, O.T., Bowen, W.D., Widdowson, E., and Boness, D.J.
1989. Effects of suckling and the postsuckling fast on weights of the
body and internal organs of harp and hooded seal pups. Biology of the
Neonate 56:283-300.
19. Boness, D.J. 1990. Fostering in Hawaiian monk seals: is there a
reproductive cost? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 27:113-122.
20. Boness, D.J. 1991. The determinants of mating systems in the
Otariidae (Pinnipedia). In: Behaviour of Pinnipeds, D. Renouf (ed.).
Chapman: London, Pp. 1-44.
21. Boness, D.J., Oftedal, O.T., and Ono, K.A. 1991. The effects of
El Nino on pup development in the California sea lion. 1. Early
postnatal growth. In: Pinnipeds and El Nino: Responses to Environmental
Stress, F. Trillmich and K.A. Ono (eds.), SpringerVerlag: Hiedelberg.
Pp. 173-179.
22. Iverson, S.J., Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D.J. 1991. The
effects of El Nino on pup development in the California sea lion. 2.
Milk and energy intake. In: Pinnipeds and El Nino: Responses to
Environmental Stress, F. Trillmich and K.A. Ono (eds.), SpringerVerlag:
Hiedelberg. Pp. 180-184.
23. Ono, K.A., and Boness, D.J. 1991. The influence El Nino on
mother-pup behavior, pup ontogeny and sex ratios in the California sea
lion. In: Pinnipeds and El Nino: Responses to Environmental Stress, F.
Trillmich and K.A. Ono (eds.), Springer-Verlag: Hiedelberg. Pp. 185-
192.
24. Heath, C.B, Ono, K.A., Boness, D.J., and Francis, J.M. 1991.
The influence of El Nino on female attendance patterns in the
California sea lion. In: Pinnipeds and El Nino: Responses to
Environmental Stress, F. Trillmich and K.A. Ono (eds.), Springer-
Verlag: Hiedelberg. Pp. 138-145.
25. Oftedal, O.T., Bowen, W.D., Widdowson, E., and Boness, D.J.
1991. The prenatal molt and its ecological significance in hooded and
harbor seals. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69:2489-2493.
26. Francis, J.F., and Boness, D.J. 1991. The effect of
thermoregulatory behaviour on the mating system of the Juan Fernandez
fur seal, Arctocephalus phillippii. Behaviour 119:104-127.
27. Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., Iverson, S.J., and Oftedal, O.T.
1992. Influence of storms and maternal size on mother-pup separations
and fostering in the harbor seal, Phoca vitulina. Canadian Journal of
Zoology 70:1640-1644.
28. Bowen, W.D., Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D.J. 1992. Mass and
energy transfer during lactation in a small phocid, the harbor seal,
Phoca vitulina. Physiological Zoology 65(4):844-866.
29. Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and Francis, J.M. 1993. Implication
of DNA fingerprinting for understanding mating systems and reproductive
strategies of pinnipeds. Symposia of the Zoological Society of London
66:61-93.
30. Iverson, S.J., Bowen, W.D., Boness, D.J., and Oftedal, O.T.
1993. The effect of maternal size and milk energy output on pup growth
in the grey seal, Halichoerus grypus. Physiological Zoology 66:61-88.
31. Oftedal, O.T., Bowen, W.D., and Boness, D.J. 1993. Energy
transfer in lactating hooded seals and nutrient deposition in their
pups during the 4-days from birth to weaning. Physiological Zoology
66:412-436.
32. Ono, K.A., Boness, D.J., Oftedal, O.T., and Iverson, S.J. 1993.
The effects of El Nino on mother-pup biology in the California sea
lion. In: Third California Islands Symposium: Recent Advances in
Research on the California Islands, F.G. Hochberg (ed.). Santa Barbara
Museum of Natural History: Santa Barbara, Pp. 495-499.
33. Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and Oftedal, O.T. 1994. Evidence of
a maternal foraging cycle resembling that of otariid seals in a small
phocid, the harbor seal. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 34:95-104.
34. Bowen, W.D., Oftedal, O.T., Boness, D.J., and Iverson, S.J.
1994. The effect of maternal age and other factors on birth mass in the
harbour seal. Canadian Journal of Zoology 72:8-14.
35. Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and Iverson, S.J. 1995. Does male
harassment of females contribute to reproductive synchrony in the grey
seal by affecting maternal performance? Behavioral Ecology and
Sociobiology 36:1-10.
36. Job, D.A., Boness, D.J. and Francis, J.M. 1995. Individual
variation in vocalizations of Hawaiian monk seal, Monachus
schauinslandi, pups and lack of maternal recognition. Canadian Journal
of Zoology 73:975-983.
37. Iverson, S.J., Oftedal, O.T., Bowen, W.D. Boness, D.J. and
Sampugna, J. 1995. Prenatal and postnatal transfer of fatty acids from
mother to pup in the hooded seal (Cystophora cristata). Journal of
Comparative Physiology, 165:1-12.
38. Boness, D.J. 1996. Water quality management in aquatic mammal
exhibits. In: Wild Mammals in Captivity, D.G. Kleiman, M.E. Allen S.
Lumpkin, and H. Harris (eds.), Chicago: University of Chicago Press,
Pp. 231-242.
39. Boness, D.J. and Bowen, W.D. 1996. The evolution of maternal
care in pinnipeds. Bioscience 46:1-10.
40. Ono, K.A., and Boness, D.J. 1996. Sexual dimorphism in sea lion
pups, Zalophus californianus: differential maternal expenditure or sex-
specific differences in energy use by the pup. Behavioral Ecology and
Sociobiology 38:31-41.
41. Oftedal, O.T., Bowen, W.D., and Boness, D.J. 1996. Lactation
performance and nutrient deposition in pups of the harp seal, Phoca
groenlandica, on the ice floes off southeast Labrador. Physiological
Zoology 69:635-657.
42. Coltman, D.W., Bowen, W.D., Boness, D.J., and Iverson, S.J.
1997. Striking a balance between foraging and reproduction in the male
harbour seal: an aquatically mating pinniped. Animal Behaviour 54:663-
678.
43. Perry, E.A., Boness, D.J., and Fleischer, R.C. 1998. DNA
fingerprinting evidence of non-kin nursing in grey seals. Molecular
Ecology 7:81-85.
44. Boness, D.J., Craig, M.P. Honigman, L., and Austin, S. 1998.
Fostering behavior in Hawaiian monk seals, Monachus schauinslandi, at
Laysan Island, with comparative evidence on the effect of female
density. Journal of Mammalogy 79:1060-1069.
45. Coltman, D.W., Bowen, W.D., Iverson, S.J. and Boness, D.J.
1998. The energetics of male reproduction in an aquaticlly mating
pinniped, the harbour seal. Physiological Zoology 71(4):387-399.
46. Francis, J.M., Boness, D.J., and Ochoa-Acufia, H. 1998. A
protracted foraging and attendance cycle in female Juan Fernandez fur
seals. Marine Mammal Science 14:552- 574.
47. Bowen, W.D., Boness, D.J., and Iverson, S.J. 1998. Estimation
of total body water in harbour seals: How useful is bioelectric
impedance analysis? Marine Mammal Science 14:765-777.
48. Ochoa-Acuna, H., Francis, J.M., and Boness, D.J. 1998.
Interannual variation in birth mass and postnatal growth of Juan
Fernandez fur seals. Canadian Journal of Zoology 76:978-983.
49. Schaeff, C.M., Boness, D.J., and Bowen, W.D. 1999. Female
distribution, genetic relatedness, and fostering behaviour in harbour
seals (Phoca vitulina). Animal Behaviour 57:427-434.
50. Boness, D.J. 1999. The grey seal, Halichoerus grypus. In: The
Complete Book of North American Mammals, D.E. Wilson (ed.), Smithsonian
Institution Press: Washington, D.C., Pp. 211-213.
51. Boness, D.J. 1999. The ribbon seal, Phoca fasciata. In: The
Complete Book of North American Mammals. D.E. Wilson (ed.), Smithsonian
Institution Press: Washington, D.C., Pp. 203-204.
52. Boness, D.J. 1999. The hooded seal, Cystophora cristata. In:
The Complete Book of North American Mammals. D.E. Wilson (ed.),
Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington, D.C., Pp. 215-216.
53. Wells, R.S., Boness, D.J., and Rathbun, G. 1999. Behavior. In:
The Biology of Marine Mammals, J.E. Reynolds, III and S.A. Rommel
(eds.). Smithsonian Institution Press: Washington, D.C., Pp. 324-422.
54. Goldsworthy, S., Boness, D.J.,and Fleischer, R.C. 1999. Mate
choice in sympatric fur seals: female preference for conphenotypic
males. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology 45:253-267.
55. Schwartz, M.K., Boness, D.J., Schaeff, C.M., Majluf, P.M.,
Perry, E.A., and Fleischer, R.C. 1999. Female solicited extra-pair
matings in Humboldt penguins fail to produce extra-pair fertilizations.
Behavioral Ecology 10:242-250.
56. Ambs, S., Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and Fleischer, R.C. 1999.
Proximate factors associated with high levels of extra-consort
fertilizations in polygynous grey seals. Animal Behaviour 58:527-535.
57. Bowen, W.D., Boness, D.J., and Iverson, S.J. 1999. Diving of
lactating harbour seals and their pups during maternal foraging trips.
Canadian Journal of Zoology 77:978-988.
58. McCulloch, S., and Boness, D.J. 2000. Mother-pup vocal
recognition in the grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) of Sable Island, Nova
Scotia, Canada. Journal of Zoology 253:449-455.
59. Goldsworthy, S. Francis, J.M., Boness, D.J., and Fleischer,
R.C. 2000. Variation in the mitochondrial control region in the Juan
Fernandez fur seal (Arctocephalus philippii). Journal of Heredity
91:371-377.
60. Ellis, S.L., Bowen, W.D. Boness, D.J., and Iverson, S.J. 2000.
Maternal effects on offspring mass and stage of development at birth in
the harbour seal, Phoca vitulina. Journal of Mammalogy 81:1143-1156.
61. Taylor, S.S., Leonard, M.L., and Boness, D.J. 2001. Aggressive
nest intrusions by single male Humboldt penguins. Condor 103:162-165.
62. Bowen, W.D., Iverson, S.J., Boness, D.J., and Oftedal, O.T.
2001. Energetics of lactation in harbour seals: Effect of body mass on
sources and level of energy allocated to offspring. Functional Ecology
15:325-334.
63. Lidgard, D.C., Boness, D.J., and Bowen, W.D. 2001. A novel
mobile approach to investigating grey seal male mating tactics. Journal
of Zoology 255:313-320.
64. Ellis, S.L., Bowen, W.D. Iverson, S.J., and Boness, D.J. 2001.
Maternal effects on growth rate and weaning mass of harbor seal
offspring. Canadian Journal of Zoology 79:1088-1101.
65. Taylor, S.S., Leonard, M.L., Boness, D.J., and Majluf, P. 2001.
Foraging trip duration increases for Humboldt penguins tagged with
time-depth recorders. Journal of Avian Biology 32(4):369-372.
66. Paredes, R., Zavalaga, C.B. and Boness, D.J. 2002. Patterns of
egg laying and breeding success in relation to number of broods and
timing of laying in Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti) in Peru.
Auk 119:244-250.
67. Boness, D.J. Estrus and estrus behavior. 2002. In: The
Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, Perrin, W.F., Wursig, B. and Thewissen,
H.G.M. (eds.). Academic Press, San Diego, CA, Pp. 395-398.
68. Boness, D.J. Sea lions, overview. 2002. In: The Encyclopedia of
Marine Mammals, Perrin, W.F., Wursig, B. and Thewissen, H.G.M. (eds.).
Academic Press, San Diego, CA, Pp. 1066-1068.
69. Boness, D.J., Clapham, P.J., and Mesnick, S.L. 2002. Life
history and reproductive strategies of marine mammals. In: Marine
Mammal Biology: An Evolutionary Approach. R. Hoelzel (ed.). Blackwell
Science, Oxford, U.K., Pp. 278-324.
70. Perry, E.A., Boness, D.J., and Insley, S.J. 2002. Do sonic
booms affect the reproductive behavior of grey seals and harbor seals?
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 111:599-609.
71. Taylor, S.S., Leonard, M.L., Boness, D.J., and Majluf, P. 2002.
Foraging in Humboldt penguins during the chick-rearing period: general
patterns, sex differences, and recommendations to reduce incidental
catches in fishing nets. Canadian Journal of Zoology 80:700-707.
72. Bowen, W.D., Tully, D., Boness, D.J., Bulhier, B., and
Marshall, G. 2002. Prey-dependent foraging tactics and prey
profitability in a marine mammal. Marine Ecology Progress Series
244:235-245.
73. Stevens, M.A., and Boness, D. J. 2003. Influences of habitat
features and human disturbance on use of breeding sites by a declining
population of South American fur seals. Journal of Zoology 260:145-152.
74. Bowen, W.D., Ellis, S., Iverson, S.J., and Boness, D.J. 2003.
Maternal and newborn life-history traits during periods of contrasting
population trends: implications for explaining the decline of harbor
seals, Phoca vitulina, on Sable Island. Journal of Zoology 261:155-163.
75. Lidgard, D.C., Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and McMillan, J.I.
2003. Diving behaviour during the breeding season in the terrestrial
breeding male grey seal: implications for alternative mating tactics.
Canadian Journal of Zoology 81:1025-1033.
76. Taylor, S. S., Leonard, M.L., Boness, D.J., and Majluf, P.
2004, Foraging patterns in non-breeding Humboldt Penguins (Spheniscus
humboldti). Marine Ornithology 32:63-67.
77. Lidgard, D.C., Boness, D.J., McMillan, J.I., Fleischer, R.C.,
and Bowen, W.D. 2004. Reproductive success of male mating tactics in
the polygynous grey seal. Molecular Ecology 13:3543-3548.
78. Paredes, R., Jones, I.L. and Boness, D.J. 2005. Reduced
parental care, compensatory behaviour and reproductive costs
experienced by female and male thick-billed murres equipped with data
loggers. Animal Behaviour 69:197-208.
79. Noren, S.R., Iverson, S.J. and Boness, D.J. 2005. Development
of the blood and muscle oxygen stores in gray seals (Halichoerus
grypus): Implications for juvenile diving and the necessity of a
postweaning fast. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology 78(4):482-490.
80. Lidgard, D.C., Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and McMillan, J.I.
2005. State-dependent male mating tactics in the grey seal: the
importance of body size and body composition. Behavioral Ecology
16(3):541-549.
81. Austin, D., Bowen, W.D., McMillan, J.I., and Boness, D.J. 2006.
Stomach temperature telemetry reveals temporal patterns of foraging
success in a free-ranging marine mammal. Journal of Animal Ecology
75:408-420.
82. Paredes, R., Jones, I.L., and Boness, D.J. 2006. Parental roles
of male and female thick-billed murres and razorbills at Gannet Island,
Labrador. Behaviour 143:451-481.
83. Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., Buhleier, B.M., and Marshall, G.J.
2006. Male mating tactics and mating system of an aquatic-mating
pinniped: the harbor seal, Phoca vitulina. Behavioral Ecology and
Sociobiology 61(1):119-130.
84. Bowen, W.D., Iverson, S.J., McMillan, J.I., and Boness, D.J.
2006. Reproductive performance in grey seals: age-related improvement
and senescence in a capital breeder. Journal of Animal Ecology
75(6):1340-1351.
85. Paredes, R., Jones, I.L. and Boness, D.J., Tremblay, Y., and
Renner, M. 2008. Sex-specific differences in diving behaviour of two
sympatric Alcini species: thick-billed murres and razorbills. Canadian
Journal of Zoology 86(7):610-622.
86. Noren, S.R., Boness, D.J., Iverson, S.J., McMillan, J., and
Bowen, W.D. 2008. Body condition at weaning affects the duration of the
postweaning fast in gray seal pups (Halichoerus grypus). Physiological
and Biochemical Zoology 81(1):269-277.
87. Lidgard, D.C., Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., and McMillan, J.I.
2008. The implications of stress on male mating behavior and success in
a sexually dimorphic polygynous mammal, the grey seal. Hormones and
Behavior 53(1):241-248.
88. Boness, D.J. Estrus and estrus behavior. 2009. In: The
Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, 2nd Edition, Perrin, W.F., Wursig, B.,
and Thewissen, H.G.M. (eds.). Academic Press, San Diego, CA, Pp. 384-
388.
89. Boness, D.J. Sea lions, overview. 2009. In: The Encyclopedia of
Marine Mammals, 2nd Edition, Perrin, W.F., Wursig, B. and Thewissen,
H.G.M. (eds.). Academic Press, San Diego, CA, Pp. 331-334.
Theses, Non-Peer-Reviewed and Popular Publications
1. Boness, D.J. 1973. What happens between an external stimulus and
an overt response? A study of covert behavior. M.A. Thesis, Hollins
College.
2. Boness, D.J. 1979. The social system of the grey seal on Sable
Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Ph.D. Thesis, Dalhousie University
3. Boness, D.J. 1979. Busy as a beaver. Zoogoer 8:27-31.
4. Boness, D.J. 1980. Harp seals. Smithsonian 10:14-15.
5. Boness, D.J., Oftedal, O.T., Ono, K.A., and Iverson, S. 1983.
Maternal investment, lactation and pup development in California sea
lions on San Nicolas Island, California: Some preliminary results.
Proceedings Biennial Mugu Lagoon/San Nicolas Island Ecological Research
Symposium 3:151-169.
6. Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D. J. 1983. Fish quality: The net
result. Proceedings of the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians
47-51.
7. Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D.J. 1983. Considerations in the use
of fish as food. Proceedings of the Dr. Scholl Conference on the
Nutrition of Captive Wild Animals 3:149-161.
8. Oftedal, O.T., and Boness, D.J. 1986. The period of nursing: a
tough time for seals and sea lions. Zoogoer Special Issue 6:9-11
9. Boness, D.J. 1990. Who's the mother? Fostering behavior in
endangered Hawaiian monk seals. Zoogoer 19:10-13.
10. Boness, D.J. 2003. Walruses (Odobenidae). Grizmek's Animal Life
Encyclopedia. 2nd Edition, Thompson Gale, MI, Vol. 14:409-416.
11. Boness, D.J. 2003. True seals (Phocidae). Grizmek's Animal Life
Encyclopedia. 2nd Edition, Thompson Gale, MI, Vol. 14:417-436.
12. Boness, Daryl. 2008. Investigating the aquatic mating system of
harbor seals using Crittercam. In Proceedings of the Animal-Borne
Imaging Symposium, G. Marshall (ed.). National Geographic Society,
Washington, D.C., Pp. 75-79.
Invited Book Reviews
1. Boness, D.J. 1981. Cetacean Behavior: Mechanisms and Functions,
edited by L.M. Herman. Animal Behaviour 29:969-970.
2. Boness, D.J. 1986. Fur Seals: Maternal Strategies on Land and at
Sea, edited by R.L. Gentry and G. L. Kooyman. Marine Mammal Science
2:329-330.
3. Boness, D.J. 1989. American Fur Seal Diplomacy: the Alaskan Fur
Seal Controversy, by J.T. Gay. Journal of Wildlife Management
53(1):272-273.
4. Boness, D.J. 1991. The Pinnipeds: Seals, Sea Lions and Walruses,
by M. Riedman. Berkeley, University Press. Animal Behaviour 42:698.
5. Boness, D.J. 1995. Antarctic Seals. Methods and Techniques,
edited by R.M. Laws. Journal of Animal Ecology 64:424-425.
6. Boness, D.J. 1998. Behavior and Ecology of the Northern Fur
Seal, by R.L. Gentry. Ecology 79:2972-2973.
7. Boness, D.J. 2001. Cetacean Societies, edited by J. Mann, R.C.
Connor, P. Tyack, and H. Whitehead. Marine Mammal Science 17:962-964.
Major Reports
1. Boness, D.J., and Majluf, P. 1996. Report on the priorities for
studies of otariid reproductive strategies, population biology and
conservation. Smithsonian, Office of Naval Research, National Marine
Fisheries Service; Washington, D.C., 44 pp.
2. Heath, C., Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., Gilmartin, W., Gisiner,
R., Ralls, K., Siniff, D., Zabel, C., and Didier, A. 1997. Steller sea
lion behavior review. National Marine Fisheries Service; Seattle, WA,
26 pp.
3. Gentry, R.L., Boness, D.J., Bowles, A.E., Insley, S.J., Payne,
R. Schusterman, R. Tyack, P., Thomas, J., and Gisiner, R. 1998.
Behavioral effects of anthropogenic noise in the marine environment.
Office of Naval Research; Washington, D.C., 22 pp.
4. Williams, T.M., Boness, D.J., Bowen, W.D., Boyd, I., Croll, D.,
Hornig, M. Iverson, S.J., Calkins, D., and Didier, A. 1999. Steller sea
lion physiology review. National Marine Fisheries Service; Seattle, WA,
34 pp.
5. Laist, D., Reynolds, J.E. III, Boness, D.J., Gale, N.,
Gerrodette, T., Lowry, L.F., and Ragen, T.J. 2002. Hawaii monk seal
program review. A report to the Marine Mammal Commission, 33 pp.
6. Reeves, R.R., Read. A., Lowry, L., Katona, S.K., and Boness,
D.J. 2006. Report of the North Atlantic right whale program review, 13-
17 March 2006, Woods Hole, MA, Marine Mammal Commission. Bethesda, MD.
7. Bowen, W.D., Boness, D.J., and Lowry, L.L. 2007. Review of the
2007 Draft Steller Sea Lion Recovery Plan. Prepared for the North
Pacific Fishery Management Council, contracted by the North Pacific
Research Board.
Talks and Posters at Professional Meetings
Iowa Academy of Science Meeting, Cedar Falls, IA, 1970
Midwestern Psychological Association Meeting, Detroit, MI, 1971
Iowa Academy of Science Meeting, Iowa City, IA, 1972
Pavlovian Society Meeting, Sarasota, FL, 1974
Second Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
San Diego, CA, 1977
Fourth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
San Francisco, CA, 1981
Twelfth Annual Conference, International Association of Aquatic
Animal Medicine, Mystic, CT, 1981
Annual Meeting of the American Association of Zoo
Veterinarians, Tampa, FL, 1983
Third Annual Dr. Scholl Conference on the Nutrition of Captive
Wild Animals, Chicago, IL, 1983
Fifth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
Boston, MA, 1983
Sixth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
Vancouver, BC, 1985
Annual Meeting of the American Association of Zoo
Veterinarians, Scottsdale, AZ, 1985
Animal Behavior Society Annual Meeting, Tucson, AZ, 1986
Third California Islands Symposium, Santa Barbara, CA, 1987
Animal Behavior Society Annual Meeting, Williamstown, 1987
Seventh Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
Miami, FL, 1987
Animal Behavior Society Meeting, Missoula, MT, 1988
XXI International Ethological Conference, Utrecht, The
Netherlands. 1989
Eighth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
Pacific Grove, CA, 1989
Fourth European Conference on Wildlife Telemetry, Aberdeen,
Scotland, 1991
Ninth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
Chicago, IL 1991
XXIII International Ethological Conference, Torremolinos,
Spain, 1993
Tenth Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals,
Galveston, TX, 1993
International Symposium on Marine Mammal Genetics, La Jolla,
CA, 1994
Smithsonian Dialogues Symposium. What about increase?
Washington, D.C., 1995
Eleventh International Conference on the Biology of Marine
Mammals, Orlando, FL, 1995
International Behavioral Ecology Congress, Canberra, Australia,
1996
Smithsonian Dialogues II Symposium. What about diffusion?
Washington, D.C., 1997
American Society of Mammalogists, Stillwater, OK, 1997
Animal Behavior Society, College Park, MD, 1997
International Marine Mammal Science Conference, Monaco, 1998
Thirteenth International Conference on the Biology of Marine
Mammals, Maui, HI, 1999
American Society of Mammalogists, Durham, NC, 2000
Animal Behavior Society, Atlanta, GA, 2000
South American Marine Mammal Conference, Buenos Aires,
Argentina, 2000
Fourteenth International Conference on the Biology of Marine
Mammals, Vancouver, BC, 2001
American Society of Mammalogists, Missoula, MT, 2001
American Society of Mammalogists, Lake Charles, LA 2002
Society for the Study of Evolution, Chicago, IL, 2003
Fifteenth International Conference on the Biology of Marine
Mammals, Greensboro, NC, 2003
Sixteenth International Conference on the Biology of Marine
Mammals, San Diego, CA, 2005
Invited Symposia
Third Annual Maine Biomedical Science Symposium, Orono, 1977,
D.J. Boness, Social organization of the grey seal, Halichoerus
grypus. Abstract published in Journal of the Maine Medical
Association, 68:245.
XXII International Congress of Psychology, Leipzig, DDR, 1980,
D.J. Boness and H. James, Sexual organization in the grey seal:
An ice breeding strategy?
Symposium on Conservation of Endangered Species in Zoos and
Aquariums, Baltimore, 1982 D.J. Boness and O.T. Oftedal,
Collection and composition of milk in pinnipeds, with comments
on handrearing formulas.
Symposium on Endangered Marine Animals and Marine Parks,
Cochin, India, 1985. D.J. Boness, The role of zoos in
conservation of marine mammals.
Symposium on Science and the Environment, Dartmouth University,
1991, D.J. Boness, The probable importance of body size in the
evolution of lactation and maternal patterns in seals.
Symposium on Recent Advances in Marine Mammal Science,
Zoological Society London, 1992, D.J. Boness, W.D. Bowen, and
J.M. Francis, Implications of DNA fingerprinting for
understanding pinniped mating systems and reproductive
strategies.
Symposium on Mating Systems in Marine Mammals, Tenth Biennial
Conference of the Biology of Marine Mammals, 1993, Galveston,
TX, D.J. Boness, Marine mammal mating systems: a framework and
overview.
International Symposium on the Reproductive Strategies and
Conservation of Otariids, Washington, D.C., 1996 I co-convened
this symposium with Dr. Patricia Majluf of the Wildlife
Conservation Society. The symposium had 82 invited participants
from 16 countries and consisted of 2 days of invited talks and
one and a half days of workshops.
Sonic Boom Symposium, Acoustical Society of America, Norfolk,
VA, 1998, E.A. Perry, D.J. Boness, and S.J. Insley, Do sonic
booms affect the reproductive behavior of grey seals and harbor
seals?
Symposium on Mammalian Reproductive Strategies, 3rd European
Mammalogy Congress, Jyvaskala, Finland, 1999, D.J. Boness and
W.D. Bowen, At-sea mating strategies of harbor seal males.
Symposium on Marine Mammals of the Holarctic, Baikal, Russia,
2002, D.J. Boness, W.D. Bowen, G. Marshal, and B. Buhleier, The
aquatic mating system of harbor seals: is it lekking?
Mini-Symposium on Biology and Conservation of Marine
Vertebrates, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, 2002, D.J.
Boness, A lek mating system in a marine mammal. Animal-Borne
Imaging Symposium, National Geographic Society, Washington,
D.C., 2007
Invited Seminars, Lectures, and Workshops
March 1984, Department of Psychobiology, Memorial University
and Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, St. John's,
Newfoundland
February 1985, Audubon Naturalist Society, Bethesda, MD
March 1988, National Marine Fisheries Service, Honolulu, HI
March 1990, Department of Zoology, University of Maryland,
College Park
May 1990, Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of
Natural History, Washington, D.C.
December 1990, Department of Conservation, National Zoological
Park, Front Royal, VA
June 1991, Special Faculty of Science Lecture, Memorial
University, St. John's, Newfoundland
October 1991, U.S. Information Agency, Washington, D.C.
March 1992, Department of Biology, George Washington
University, Washington, D.C.
December 1992, Department of Zoology, University of Maryland,
College Park
May 1993, Department of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax
Nova Scotia
February 1994, Department of Biology, American University,
Washington, D.C.
April 1994, Department of Conservation, National Zoological
Park, Front Royal, VA
April 1994, Virginia Military Institute, Lexington, VA
November 1994, Department of Zoological Research, National
Zoological Park, Washington, D.C.
November 1994, University Lecture Series, Lethbridge
University, Lethbridge, Alberta
November 1994, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Woods Hole, MA
December 1994, Hawaiian monk seal recovery team meeting,
National Marine Fisheries Service, Honolulu, HI
April 1995, Department of Zoology, University of Hawaii,
Honolulu, HI
November 1995, Alaska harbor seal workshop, National Marine
Fisheries Service and Alaska Fish and Game Department,
Fairbanks, AK
December 1995, Workshop on translocating Hawaiian monk seals to
Midway Island, Honolulu, HI
July 1996, Smithsonian Resident Associates Lecture, Washington,
D.C.
November 1996, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Amelia Island,
FL
February 1997, National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration,
Strategic Planning Workshop, Washington, D.C.
November 1997, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Fairbanks, AK
December 1997, Hawaiian monk seal recovery team meeting,
National Marine Fisheries Service, Honolulu, HI
December 1997, Workshop to evaluate past behavioral research on
Steller sea lions and recommend future directions, National
Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, WA
February 1998, Workshop on effects of manmade sound on the
marine environment, Office of Naval Research, Washington, D.C.
June 1998, Marine Mammal Committee meeting, American Society of
Mammalogists, Blacksburg, VA
June 1998, GulfCet program review, Galveston, TX
November 1998, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Portland, ME
May 1999, Talk at Smithsonian Conservation and Research Center,
Front Royal, VA
May 1999, Seminar at Zoology Department, Cork University, Cork,
Ireland
April 2000, Lecture at Biology Department, American University,
Washington, D.C.
July 2000, Seminar, Department of Zoological Research, National
Zoological Park, Washington, D.C.
May 2002, Seminar Zoology Department, University of New
Hampshire, Durham, NH
October 2002, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, San Diego, CA
June 2003, Seminar at Biology Department, University of New
England, Biddeford, ME
June 2003, Seminar at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences,
West Boothbay Harbor, ME
October 2003, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Newport, RI
November 2003, Seminar at Conservation and Research Center,
Smithsonian Institution, Front Royal, VA
October 2004, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Kona, HI
April 2005, Seminar at Biology Department, Colby College,
Waterville, ME
April 2005 Workshop on the Ecological Role of Killer Whales in
the North Pacific Ecosystem
May 2005, Seminar at Wildlife Ecology Department, University of
Maine, Orono, ME
August 2005, Workshop on Implementing a Research Plan to
Understand the Role of Killer Whales in the North Pacific Ocean
Ecosystem, Seattle, WA
September 2005, Workshop on Assessing the Population Viability
of Endangered Marine Mammals, Savannah, GA
October 2005, Marine Mammal Commission meeting, Anchorage, AK
June 2006, Seminar at Brackett Environmental Center, Auburn, ME
May 2008, 2009, Lecture at Buckfield High School, Buckfield, ME
May 2009, Seminar at Western Maine Audubon Society, Farmington,
ME
September 2009, Lecture at Waterberg Academy, Vaalwater, South
Africa
Senator Cantwell. I just want to make sure we have your
written testimony. We appreciate everybody's diligence in their
statement. And I am going to turn to Mr. Moreland here to make
his statement.
STATEMENT OF JEFFREY R. MORELAND, MEMBER-DESIGNATE, AMTRAK
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Mr. Moreland. Good morning. Madam Chairman and Ranking
Member Hutchison, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to be
considered to serve on Amtrak's Board.
In addition, I am honored by President Obama's nominating
me to serve. In addition, I am very thankful for Senator
Hutchison, for your encouragement and help and support through
this process.
My wife of 43 years is here to support me in this, and she
has traveled on probably as many Amtrak routes as I have. So
she knows as much as I do.
I am going to give you my short version, my high-speed rail
version of my statement. I have a business and law background.
I worked in the Government for a number of years early in my
career. I then went to work for freight railroads 30 years--
approximately 18 years in Chicago for freight railroad
companies and then 12 years in Fort Worth, Texas, for the
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway, which, of course, serves
your State, Madam Chairman.
In those 30 years in the rail business, I saw boards of
directors of railroads go from wondering whether the railroads
would survive to now where they are investing significant
amounts of money for additional capacity in the railroads
freight business.
I believe the Amtrak can do the same. I believe that just
as the freight railroads have been successful over the last 30
years after difficulty, Amtrak can have a bright future, and I
think we can do that in the same method we were able to achieve
it through the success of the freight railroads.
I think that it is important for this country that we have
a national railway system. I think it is important that we
develop high-speed rail, and I think the Board of Directors
role at Amtrak is to ensure that we are following what Congress
and the Administration has asked us to do and will ask us to do
and to make sure that the Board monitors the practices and the
goals and sets objectives for Amtrak.
And that we meet--and set those goals and meet those goals,
and we are able to show to the United States public that Amtrak
is a success so that it will warrant additional funding from
Government over the years.
Thank you.
[The prepared statement and biographical information of Mr.
Moreland follows:]
Prepared Statement of Jeffrey R. Moreland, Member-Designate,
Amtrak Board of Directors
Chairman Rockefeller, Ranking Member Hutchinson, and distinguished
members of the Committee, I greatly appreciate the opportunity to be
considered to serve on Amtrak's Board. I am honored that the President
has nominated me to serve. In addition, I am thankful for Senator
Hutchinson's encouragement throughout this process.
I would like to briefly describe my background and qualifications
for the position on Amtrak's Board. In addition, I will outline some of
the issues I see facing Amtrak, but most importantly, I would
appreciate the views of the members of this distinguished committee on
critical issues facing Amtrak.
I have an undergraduate degree from Georgetown University's School
of Business, a Juris Doctorate degree from The Columbus School of Law
at Catholic University and a MBA from the University of Chicago, School
of Business. I started my career in government service and worked at
the Securities and Exchange Commission in Washington, D.C. for 8 years.
In 1978, I joined Santa Fe Industries, the parent company of the
Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway, in Chicago, Illinois. From then
until I retired in 2007, I worked for companies that operated freight
railroads. For the last twelve of those years, I worked in Fort Worth,
Texas as an executive officer for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe
Railroad. During those almost thirty years in the railroad business, I
experienced freight railroads' Boards of Directors questioning whether
freight railroads would survive, on through to today where freight
railroads are not only surviving but investing large amounts of capital
to increase their capacity for the efficient movement of freight in the
United States.
Amtrak, like the freight railroads, has struggled for decades.
However, I believe that with the proper support and encouragement from
both Congress and the Administration and with a focused and stable
Board of Directors and management team, the future of Amtrak is bright.
Amtrak has made progress in recent years, and I believe these positive
trends can continue. Just as it is important to have multiple means of
moving freight, it is critically important to this country that we have
multiple means of moving passengers throughout the United States. I
also believe it is important to the United States passenger
transportation system that Amtrak maintain a nationwide rail system and
develop high-speed rail corridors in many areas of the United States.
I believe the primary role of the directors of Amtrak is to ensure
that the organization is run in the manner that Congress and the
Administration intends for it to be run. The Board needs to clearly set
Amtrak's strategic direction and monitor Amtrak's compliance with such
direction. It must ensure that capital is allocated properly and it
must set goals and monitor such goals that will show to the public that
Amtrak is successful. If confirmed by the Senate, I feel I can play a
constructive role in this effort.
Thank you for your consideration of my nomination and I welcome any
observations or questions that members of this committee may have.
______
a. biographical information
1. Name (Include any former names or nicknames used): Jeffrey R.
Moreland.
2. Position to which nominated: Member of Board--Directors-Amtrak.
3. Date of Nomination: January 20, 2010.
4. Address (List current place of residence and office addresses):
Residence: Information not released to the public.
Office: 2378 N. Fillmore St., Arlington, VA 22207
5. Date and Place of Birth: June 24, 1944.
6. Provide the name, position, and place of employment for your
spouse (if married) and the names and ages of your children (including
stepchildren and children by a previous marriage).
Nancy C. Moreland (spouse), unemployed; children: Caroline Kate
Moreland, 42; Jennifer Anne Moreland, 40; Kimberly M. Beans,
39; Amy M. Stallmer, 34.
7. List all college and graduate degrees. Provide year and school
attended.
University of Chicago, Booth School of Business, MBA, Executive
Program, 1981-1983.
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law,
Juris Doctorate, 1966-1970
Georgetown University. McDonough School of Business, BSBA,
1962-1966.
8. List all post-undergraduate employment, and highlight all
management-level jobs held and any non-managerial jobs that relate to
the position for which you are nominated.
ESSA/US Dept. of Commerce, 1966-1969, Budget Analyst.
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C.,
Branch Chief, Division of Corporate Finance, 1969-1978.
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. and BNSF Railway, Fort
Worth, Texas. June 1978-June 2007 (Including predecessor
Companies of Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp. in Chicago, 11-
1978-1995). I started as Corporate Attorney in 1978 and served
in increasing responsible positions. In 1995, I became Senior
VP Law & Gov. Affairs (Chief legal officer) and later Executive
VP Law, Gov. Affairs and Corp. Secretary until December 31,
2006, then Executive VP Public Affairs until June 2007.
Retired: June 2007. No further employment.
9. Attach a copy of your resume. A copy is attached.
10. List any advisory, consultative, honorary, or other part-time
service or positions with Federal, State, or local governments, other
than those listed above, within the last 5 years: N/A.
11. List all positions held as an officer, director, trustee,
partner, proprietor, agent, representative, or consultant of any
corporation, company, firm, partnership, or other business, enterprise,
educational, or other institution within the last 5 years.
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law,
Chairman, Board of Visitors. 2007-present.
Friends of Florence, 2007 to present. Member, Board of
Directors.
Fort Worth Opera, 2005-6/2007 Member, Board of Directors.
Cook Children's Hospital, Member, Board of Directors, 2004-6/
2007.
12. Please list each membership you have had during the past 10
years or currently hold with any civic, social, charitable,
educational, political, professional, fraternal, benevolent or
religious organization, private club, or other membership organization.
Include dates of membership and any positions you have held with any
organization. Please note whether any such club or organization
restricts membership on the basis of sex, race, color, religion,
national origin, age, or handicap.
In addition to #11 above, Rivercrest Country Club, Fort Worth,
Texas, 1999-2004.
13. Have you ever been a candidate for and/or held a public office
(elected, non-elected, or appointed)? If so, indicate whether any
campaign has any outstanding debt, the amount, and whether you are
personally liable for that debt: No.
14. Itemize all political contributions to any individual, campaign
organization, political party, political action committee, or similar
entity of $500 or more for the past 10 years. Also list all offices you
have held with, and services rendered to, a state or national political
party or election committee during the same period.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Entity Amount
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2009--None
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2008
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Anne M. Burke, Illinois Supreme Court -$4,260*
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2007
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $2,500
Costello For Congress Committee $2,000
Friends of Jim Oberstar $2,300
DeFazio For Congress $2,000
Texans for John Cornyn $2,300
Texans for John Cornyn -$2,100*
Dan Lipinski for Congress $2,000
Anne M. Burke, Illinois Supreme Court $10,000
Diane Denish, Lieutenant Governor $500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2006
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
Nelson (Ben) for U.S. Senate 2006 $2,100
Mark Pryor for U.S. Senate $1,000
McConnell Senate Committee. '14 $1,000
Kay Granger Campaign Fund $2,000
Talent for Senate Committee $1,000
Kay Bailey Hutchison For Senate Committee $2,100
Texans For Senator John Cornyn $900
Texans for Senator John Cornyn -$900*
Texans for Senator John Cornyn $1,000
National Republican Congressional Committee $5,000
Alamo PAC $2,000
Timothy Pawlenty and Carol Molnau, Gov. and Lt. Gov. $1,000
Kathleen Sebelius and Mark Parkinson, Gov. and Lt. Gov. $1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2005
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
Carper For Senate $1,000
Nelson (Ben) For Senate 2006 $2,000
Kay Granger Campaign Fund $2,000
Kay Bailey Hutchison For Senate Committee $2,100
Texans For Senator John Cornyn $2,000
National Republican Congressional Committee $2,000
Friends of Roy Blunt $2,000
Congressman Joe Barton Committee $2,000
Kathleen Sebelius and Mark Parkinson, Gov.& Lt. Gov. $2,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2004
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
Pete Coors For Senate $1,000
John Thune For U.S. Senate $1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2003
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
Missourians For Kit Bond $1,000
Bush-Cheney '04 (Primary) $2,000
Midnight Sun Pol. Action Com. $2,500
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2002
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
National Republican Congressional Committee $500
Friends of Max Baucus $500
Texans for Senator John Cornyn $1,000
Michael L. Williams, Texas Railroad Commission $1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2001
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
National Republican Congressional Committee $500
Feingold Senate Committee $200
Gordon Smith For U.S. Senate 2002 $500
Lipinski For Congress Committee $1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
2000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
Kay Granger Campaign Fund $1,000
Lipinski For Congress Committee $1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------
BNSF PAC $5,000
Kay Bailey Hutchison For Senate Committee $1,000
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*(returned contributions)
15. List all scholarships, fellowships, honorary degrees, honorary
society memberships, military medals, and any other special recognition
for outstanding service or achievements: N/A.
16. Please list each book, article, column, or publication you have
authored, individually or with others. Also list any speeches that you
have given on topics relevant to the position for which you have been
nominated. Do not attach copies of these publications unless otherwise
instructed: N/A.
17. Please identify each instance in which you have testified
orally or in writing before Congress in a governmental or non-
governmental capacity and specify the date and subject matter of each
testimony: N/A.
18. Given the current mission, major programs, and major
operational objectives of the department/agency to which you have been
nominated, what in your background or employment experience do you
believe affirmatively qualifies you for appointment to the position for
which you have been nominated, and why do you wish to serve in that
position?
I have over 29 years of experience in the U.S. freight railroad
business. For the last eleven plus years, I was a senior executive of
BNSF, one of the largest freight railroads in the United States, with
service throughout the western two-thirds of the Nation. My
responsibility during that time included managing the legal,
regulatory, Federal, and state governmental affairs, communications,
and corporate secretary areas of the company. Amtrak has extensive
operations over BNSF, which required my department to deal with Amtrak
on various issues.
I hope to use my extensive railroad experience for the long term
benefit of Amtrak.
19. What do you believe are your responsibilities, if confirmed, to
ensure that the department/agency has proper management and accounting
controls, and what experience do you have in managing a large
organization?
I believe that a director of Amtrak has absolute responsibility to
ensure that Amtrak has proper management and accounting controls.
Amtrak's board must provide the leadership to ensure that Amtrak's
management has the right people in place to properly manage Amtrak, and
that the Board has effective processes and procedures in place to
provide oversight of management. In addition, the Board must require
and monitor long term goals and performance objectives for Amtrak. I
have significant experience in board activities and ensuring that the
Board of BNSF was able to perform its fiduciary responsibilities to
BNSF shareholders. I was general counsel to the BNSF Board and attended
every board meeting and audit committee for over eleven years. I
managed a large law department and numerous outside law firms as well.
20.What do you believe to be the top three challenges facing the
department/agency, and why?
I believe the top three challenges facing Amtrak are:
1. Developing and implementing a 5-year strategic plan. A long-
term plan that is adopted and closely followed is essential to
the success of any large organization.
2. Implement and monitor accounting, safety and management
controls to ensure that Amtrak is meeting its obligations to
the public and that its activities are transparent to the
public.
3. Properly allocate the limited resources that Amtrak has
available to it to ensure that resources are used for the
highest purposes of the overall strategic objectives of Amtrak.
b. potential conflicts of interest
1. Describe all financial arrangements, deferred compensation
agreements, and other continuing dealings with business associates,
clients, or customers. Please include information related to retirement
accounts.
I receive pension payments from:
1. BNSF Qualified Pension Plan
2. BNSF Supplemental Pension Plan
I have stock and stock options outstanding in Burlington Northern
Santa Fe Corporation. All of which are expect to be sold or converted
into another companies stock (Berkshire Hathaway Inc.) by February 28,
2010.
I have no other commitments or agreements with any prior employer,
business associate, client or customer.
2. Do you have any commitments or agreements, formal or informal,
to maintain employment, affiliation, or practice with any business,
association or other organization during your appointment? If so,
please explain: No.
3. Indicate any investments, obligations, liabilities, or other
relationships which could involve potential conflicts of interest in
the position to which you have been nominated
See ``B.1'' above.
4. Describe any business relationship, dealing, or financial
transaction which you have had during the last 10 years, whether for
yourself, on behalf of a client, or acting as an agent, that could in
any way constitute or result in a possible conflict of interest in the
position to which you have been nominated.
See ``B.1'' above.
5. Describe any activity during the past 10 years in which you have
been engaged for the purpose of directly or indirectly influencing the
passage, defeat, or modification of any legislation or affecting the
administration and execution of law or public policy.
As an executive officer of BNSF, I was indirectly involved in
influencing the passage, defeat, and modification of legislation and
affecting the administrative and execution of law and public policies.
6. Explain how you will resolve any potential conflict of interest,
including any that may be disclosed by your responses to the above
items.
I expect all stock and stock options that I own in BNSF will either
be sold or converted into Berkshire Hathaway Inc. stock by February 28,
2010.
Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. is acquiring BNSF in a merger expected to
be completed in the first quarter of 2010.
c. legal matters
1. Have you ever been disciplined or cited for a breach of ethics
by, or been the subject of a complaint to any court, administrative
agency, professional association, disciplinary committee, or other
professional group? If so, please explain: No.
2. Have you ever been investigated, arrested, charged, or held by
any Federal, State, or other law enforcement authority of any Federal,
State, county, or municipal entity, other than for a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
3. Have you or any business of which you are or were an officer
ever been involved as a party in an administrative agency proceeding or
civil litigation? If so, please explain: No.
4. Have you ever been convicted (including pleas of guilty or nolo
contendere) of any criminal violation other than a minor traffic
offense? If so, please explain: No.
5. Have you ever been accused, formally or informally, of sexual
harassment or discrimination on the basis of sex, race, religion, or
any other basis? If so, please explain: No.
6. Please advise the Committee of any additional information,
favorable or unfavorable, which you feel should be disclosed in
connection with your nomination: None.
d. relationship with committee
1. Will you ensure that your department/agency complies with
deadlines for information set by Congressional committees? Yes.
2. Will you ensure that your department/agency does whatever it can
to protect Congressional witnesses and whistle blowers from reprisal
for their testimony and disclosures? Yes.
3. Will you cooperate in providing the Committee with requested
witnesses, including technical experts and career employees, with
firsthand knowledge of matters of interest to the Committee? Yes.
4. Are you willing to appear and testify before any duly
constituted committee of the Congress on such occasions as you may be
reasonably requested to do so? Yes.
______
resume of jeffrey r. moreland
Retired Executive Vice President Law for BNSF
Born
Washington, D.C., June 24, 1944
Education
Georgetown University, Washington, D.C., BSBA 1966
The Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law, Washington,
D.C., J.D. 1970
University of Chicago School of Business, Chicago, II MBA, Executive
Program--1983
Employment
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, D.C. 1969-1978
Santa Fe Industries, Chicago, IL, Attorney, 1978-1983
Santa Fe Pacific Corporation, Chicago, IL, Attorney, 1983-1995; Last
position: Senior Vice President Law and Government Affairs
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corporation,** Ft Worth, TX,
Executive Vice President Law, Gov. Affairs and Corporate Secretary,
1995-12/2006
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\**\ BNSF 2007: Revenues $15.8 billion, net income $1.8 billion,
assets $32 billion, Market capitalization $30 billion and employees
41,000.
Executive Vice President and Public Affairs 1/1/07-6/30/07
Activities
Chairman, Board of Visitors, Catholic University Law School
Member of Board, and Chairman of Audit Committee, Friends of Florence
Personal
Married Nancy Moreland forty-three years, four daughters, and two
grandsons.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you very much, Mr. Moreland.
And again, appreciate everybody's helping us out this
morning with an abbreviated statement. And now I am going to
turn to Senator Hutchison to make a statement and to ask
questions, if she would like. But we appreciate very much being
here today.
STATEMENT OF HON. KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TEXAS
Senator Hutchison. Thank you very much, Madam Chairwoman.
I probably will not be able to ask the questions that I
would like, but I would like to submit a couple of questions
for you to respond to for the record.
Let me just say that I was part of the nominations process
for Dr. Weener and Mr. Moreland. Being a former Member and Vice
Chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board, I feel
that your qualifications, Dr. Weener, are excellent. And you
can contribute much to the Board through your efforts in safety
already, both in the private sector and at the Flight Safety
Foundation.
And I will look forward to working with you and also on the
Committee being able to visit with you and have you testify on
what we ought to be doing that would increase our safety. We
believe that aviation safety is world renowned right now. We
have a great safety record. But in the area of human factors,
we are now beginning to make more strides, and that is an area
where you have expertise. So I will look forward to continuing
our quest for a perfect safety record, which is what we all
want for the traveling public.
And Mr. Moreland, I think you have already said what is the
major emphasis for me, and that is, that Amtrak must be a
national system, and it must be preserved. Or if it goes away,
it will be lost forever.
The reason that I am so supportive of your nomination is
that you do have the background in rail that I think can
contribute greatly to the efforts to oversee Amtrak and to look
for innovative ways that we can keep the national system that
we have in place and be able to make available to states and
local governments the opportunity to feed into Amtrak, which
will be good for Amtrak, as well as good for more access for
multimodal transportation for all of our citizens.
So I appreciate that you are going to serve. I hope that
you will use the expertise that you have to make Amtrak more
efficient and use our tax dollars wisely and keep improving the
national service that I think is so important.
And with that, Madam Chairman, I will have to leave. But I
really appreciate your chairing this hearing for us and look
forward to supporting all of these nominees.
Senator Cantwell. Well, thank you, Senator Hutchison. As
the Ranking Member, we appreciate your participation. We know
you have been involved in these nominees. I am sure that we
will get a fast response to those questions.
So if I could turn to my questions and start with you, Dr.
Robinson? You might have heard the previous discussion with the
Commandant, the future Commandant of the Coast Guard, on ocean
acidification. And while we need more science, we also need
more action.
What do you envision NOAA doing to take action on ocean
acidification beyond science, and do you believe that NOAA
currently has the structure to help individuals like the
shellfish industry in Washington or Maine deal with the
economic threats posed by ocean acidification?
Dr. Robinson. Yes. Chair Cantwell, we just this week, the
Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel met in D.C. and had
an update from NOAA regarding current actions that the agency
is taking to further understand, address, and adapt to this
issue. I am further confident that there is a plan in place to
provide us the knowledge and the safeguards that we need.
I am acutely aware of the specific threats that--impacts
that it is having in your part of the Nation with regard to the
oyster fishery there and the fact that we need to pay special
attention to this problem.
But I look forward, if confirmed, Madam Chair, to rally all
of my resources to help us and help this Administration
properly address this issue.
Senator Cantwell. Your position is going to deal not only
with the science of conservation management, but with the human
and economic realities of conservation management. How would
you balance that?
Dr. Robinson. I think that we have to consider that people
are part of the system. I mean, they are part of the ecosystem,
and we have to have a balance of managing our resources and
addressing economic needs of the communities that we serve.
And so, what we will have to do is, first, conserve the
resources that it can provide for the economic development that
we need in our fishery communities around the Nation; two, to
ensure that not only can we do that for this generation of
fishermen and citizens, but for future generations as well. So
we will have to build explicitly into our goals appreciation
for both the ecosystem as well as the economic aspects of our
jobs.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Dr. Robinson.
Dr. Tillman, the International Whaling Commission is
considering changes in its approach to whaling limits and the
moratorium against commercial whaling, prompting much
opposition and obviously debate. Given the current issues under
debate, what do you see as the role of the Marine Mammal
Commission and the United States in developing positions on
whaling quotas and moratoria?
Dr. Tillman. My perspective on that is the commission ought
to be a partner in the development of U.S. positions regarding
the International Whaling Commission. It serves on the
delegation. Expressing a personal view, however, I think that
they could expand their role, become a full partner, and help
in developing these positions.
The issue of the future of the International Whale
Commission is one of concern to the Administration. It has
played a role in fostering the process to modernize the
International Whaling Commission and to address the major
problem of whaling that, even though there is a moratorium,
there is whaling going on that is out of control under
loopholes in the convention.
This negotiation between parties is an attempt to try to
deal with closing those loopholes and bring the International
Whaling Commission back to its role of being the lead
organization for conservation of whales throughout the world.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Dr. Boness, I don't know if you want to add anything to
that. But I also wanted to ask you about just the challenges
NOAA has and when it is forced to make decisions with limited
data. The Government is required to use the best available
science, even when available science is extremely minimal. What
do you think that the Marine Mammal Commission should do in
helping to identify and fulfill those data needs, especially in
this strained fiscal environment?
Dr. Robinson. Yes, I think that high-quality data is
essential to high-quality decisions. And we should look for
data from a variety of sources and conclude in traditional
scientific undertakings as well as information that can be
provided us through citizens, fishermen, et cetera. And so, I
think with an emphasis on a comprehensive approach to data
acquisition and quality, we can provide the needs--the data
needs that really are necessary for us to make the sound
decisions, management decisions at the agency.
So I look forward to working with my colleagues, if
confirmed, on data acquisition issues and other areas that we
obviously have some commonalities with.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Dr. Boness, would you like to chime in there?
Dr. Boness. Yes. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman.
Regarding the International Whaling Commission issue, the
Marine Mammal Commission has looked at the proposal that is
being discussed and provided an initial response. In fact,
there are still many things that are unanswered and details
that are not included in the proposal. The Commission will
certainly be very interested in the final proposal and will
evaluate it at the time.
With regard to making decisions with limited information,
this is often a primary mode of operation in conservation--it
is critical to make decisions before all the data that you
would like to have are available to make clear and decisive
conclusions.
One of the things that is critical is that there be a
process in place to evaluate the potential alternatives, and
the commission has had some meetings in the past where they
have brought in experts to discuss potential ways of becoming
more objective in evaluating those sorts of decisions. It is a
constant problem that is dealt with in conservation.
The Commission also----
Senator Cantwell. Where would you say we are on data?
Dr. Boness. On data? Well, it varies from species to
species. For some species we have an incredible amount of data.
For example, the Hawaiian monk seal, is probably one of the
best studied endangered marine mammals, yet we still have
problems with population decline. In fact, this is one of the
species I referred to earlier that is perilously close to
extinction.
So, clearly, one needs to invest more effort in collecting
data, but you have to make decisions as you go with the data in
hand that you have. This is why adaptive approaches are
important to have. So as you gain more information, you make
adjustments to the recommendations and decisions that are made.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Well, we will certainly look forward to discussing how we
can get more data even in these tough economic times because I
think given our experiences in the Northwest, we see how
critical that is to having commonality of how to move forward
based on good scientific data.
Mr. Moreland, I would like to ask you about obviously here
in the Northeast, a lot of people understand Amtrak and have a
great service for it. But Washington State is the final
destination of the Empire Builder and the Coast Starlight. And
so, there have been many partnerships between the State and
Amtrak for years in between Portland and Vancouver.
And one of the issues, obviously, as you know, is Class 1
railroads own their own infrastructure. So Amtrak trains in
Washington State share the track with Burlington Northern, but
freight has a priority. And because the track is shared, the
State and Amtrak and Burlington Northern all have to agree on
investment priorities, and sometimes, you can imagine that they
differ in opinion.
I imagine this is probably replicated across the country.
And if confirmed, given your experience at Burlington Northern,
what do you think are some of the unique things that we could
do to help Amtrak and Class 1 railroads facilitate these
agreements on major rail investments and the support of high-
speed rail as well as freight rail?
Mr. Moreland. Well, I am very much in favor of the
partnership between the State's Amtrak and the private
railroads, Burlington Northern Santa Fe. I think you will see
that over the years that Burlington Northern Santa Fe did have
one of the best records in terms of on-time performance for
Amtrak trains.
I think the best way to do that is with a strong
partnership so that everybody has the same interest in getting
this achieved. I do say it is perception that freight railroads
own--they do own the tracks, of course. But they don't have a
priority. Amtrak does, under the law, have a priority. And it
should continue to have that priority. And I am a strong
believer in finding the ways of making that work.
At the same time, there is a lot of freight moving out of
Seattle, which is important to the State of Washington. And it
is critical that freight move on time as well. We have to find
a way of getting both running and cooperating and operating so
that passenger trains, not just Amtrak, but your passenger
trains, commuter lines that run along the sound, as well as the
freight, is able to do that and through partnerships agree to
the allocation of capital to make sure that that is achieved
properly.
Senator Cantwell. Well, this is critically important for us
in the Northwest. We certainly appreciate the investment in
high-speed rail capacity. But we obviously, given I think we
were probably the intake for about 20 percent of cargo coming
in for China, we also have to move freight.
Mr. Moreland. Yes.
Senator Cantwell. Or else we will lose that to Canada.
Mr. Moreland. It is one of the--I have ridden those lines
probably five times a year until I retired, and I understand
the problem. You have some unique issues there because of where
the real estate is, right along the sound. But it is a doable
situation, a workable situation. I think Burlington Northern
works as hard as they can to do that, and we need to make
sure--Amtrak needs to continue working with them and the State
of Washington to achieve the goals of all three entities in
this.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
Dr. Weener, I understand that the Flight Safety Foundation,
you spent considerable amount of time at looking at issues of
runway safety and ground accident prevention. Where do you
think the FAA is in respect to these issues?
Dr. Weener. With respect to runway safety, the Flight
Safety Foundation initiated a program about 3 years ago, an
international one, and it was driven in large part by European
interests. Initially, we looked at runway safety from a broad
perspective. That included runway incursions, runway confusion,
and runway excursions, excursions being going off the side or
the end of a runway.
Runway incursions have brought a great deal of attention
because of the Tenerife accident of 32 years ago. That was a
collision on the ground between two 747s. Since that time, the
FAA has put a great deal of emphasis on runway incursions, and
runway incursions had become a relatively rare event. Now they
are reported often, but runway incursions are counted even
though there is not an accident.
If we look at simply accidents, then about one-third--
actually 30 percent worldwide over the last 15 years or so--30
percent of the accidents have been runway excursions. For that
reason, the Runway Safety Initiative has chosen to focus almost
entirely on runway excursions. I think the FAA could pay more
attention to runway excursions.
Senator Cantwell. Thank you.
In 2005, we had the unfortunate incident of an EMS
emergency service helicopter crashing into Puget Sound, taking
the life of a pilot and two nurses. And so, I have spent a lot
of time getting up to speed and understanding what the
oversight and regulation has been and trying to improve the
safety of the Air Medical Service.
We passed out of this committee language that I authored in
Section 507 of the current FAA bill, which is built on a number
of the NTSB 2006 recommendations. I recognize that Air Medical
Service is inherently a challenging and dangerous job, but the
question is how do you manage that risk? And I don't know if
you have thoughts you would like to offer on that this morning?
Dr. Weener. It is probably premature for me to offer any
strong opinions. Nevertheless, the NTSB held a hearing last
year, as I recall, that addressed helicopter emergency medical
services, and a number of safety recommendations came out of
that hearing, including items like terrain awareness systems,
flight operation quality assurance, FOQA, which means getting
data off of the airplanes to understand how they are being
operated, the helicopters in particular.
This is an area where there is a lot of risk. There is a
tendency to try to fly under any circumstances. There is a bit
of an element of trying to be heroic in the face of somebody
having had an accident and being severely injured. I am sure
this is an area that is going to continue to receive attention
in the future.
Senator Cantwell. Well, we will look forward to working
with the NTSB on that.
Again, I want to thank all of the nominees for being here.
Thank their families for coming to today's hearing and for your
patience and dedication as your loved ones serve our country,
and we look forward to processing these nominees quickly.
We will leave the record open for a short time period here,
I think 2 weeks, to make sure that we get comments and
questions answered.
So thank you very much for being at today's hearing.
The hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:48 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Prepared Statement of Hon. Daniel K. Inouye, U.S. Senator from Hawaii
I wish to congratulate the nominees appearing before the Committee
today and to thank them for their commitment to public service. I look
forward to supporting your nominations through the confirmation process
and working with you in your new positions.
In particular, I would like to touch upon the nomination of Vice
Admiral Robert J. Papp to serve as the Commandant of the United States
Coast Guard. Managing the extensive and diverse missions and
responsibilities of the U.S. Coast Guard is a monumental task, and I
have no doubt that Admiral Papp will fulfill his duties admirably, if
confirmed. While not part of the Department of Defense (DOD) services,
the role of the Coast Guard in protecting national security is on par
with the other services. As such, they should be given appropriate
recognition for this, including rank and retirement policies that are
consistent with the Department of Defense.
The Coast Guard has served with great distinction over the years.
They served well in the Persian Gulf. In addition, the Coast Guard
provided critical leadership in the rescue and response efforts in
Haiti. They were also first on the scene following Hurricane Katrina.
Moreover, the Coast Guard performs other important missions including
search and rescue, drug interdiction, environmental protection, and
fisheries enforcement.
In Hawaii, the Coast Guard is a very special friend. They are
always rescuing someone in peril or guarding our ocean borders from
foreign incursions. The area covered by District 14 is the largest of
all the Coast Guard Districts, and the challenges are magnified. I
would like to take this opportunity to thank the men and women of the
Coast Guard for their outstanding service to our country, and in
particular for their efforts on behalf of the people of Hawaii.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Frank R. Lautenberg to
Vice Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr.
Question 1. The President's budget request cuts funding for Coast
Guard operations by $75 million. The Coast Guard is already being asked
to do more with limited resources. How will the Coast Guard be able to
maintain its high level of performance under a reduced budget?
Answer. The Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Request provides the Coast
Guard with the necessary resources to carry out its missions. The
budget focuses resources toward recapitalization of aging cutters,
aircraft, and supporting infrastructure. Recapitalization is critical
to preserving future surface, air, and shore asset capability. The FY
2011 budget makes recapitalization a top priority, while allowing the
Coast Guard to continue to perform its statutory missions in the most
effective, efficient, and professional manner possible.
Question 2. I am very concerned about the recommendation to
eliminate five of the twelve Marine Safety and Security Teams,
including the team assigned to the Port of New York and New Jersey.
This Port is directly linked to what the FBI deemed the most dangerous
two miles in America for a terrorist attack. Was a full risk assessment
done before this decision was made to determine that the security of
the Port of New York and New Jersey would not be affected by the loss
of this team?
Answer. The FY 2011 budget transitions the Maritime Safety and
Security Teams (MSSTs) to a regional model, enabling the Coast Guard to
rapidly deploy teams of skilled professionals to ports and operating
areas across the country based on risk and threats as needed. The
decision to transfer to a regional model factored in geographic
distribution/coverage; mission requirements; port complexities; and
proximity to other Coast Guard assets, as well as other Federal, state,
and local capabilities.
The Coast Guard will continue to leverage all available
intelligence resources and partnerships across DHS, the Federal
Government, and state and local law enforcement to collectively
mitigate risks and ensure the security of the Nation's ports.
Question 3. Would these five Marine Safety and Security Teams be
eliminated if the Coast Guard budget were not reduced?
Answer. Efforts to gain efficiencies, eliminate redundancies, and
maximize resources toward carrying out all eleven statutory missions
would have been pursued under any budget scenario.
Question 4. According to a recent report by the Government
Accountability Office, the Coast Guard met its defense readiness levels
only forty-four percent of the time in 2009-the lowest level since
2004. As Commandant, what actions will you take to bring readiness
levels up to 100 percent?
Answer. The Coast Guard's ability to perform its missions is
closely tied to its assets--we were unable to meet all of our 2009
performance goals, as noted by the GAO, largely due to the degraded
condition of the Coast Guard's assets.
If confirmed, I will work with Congress to recapitalize our fleet
of High Endurance Cutters through the continued acquisition of National
Security Cutters (NSC). The NSCs will yield essential system-wide
capability improvements for defense readiness and other maritime
homeland security mission areas.
To improve Port Security Unit (PSU) readiness, I will continue to
build upon a number of recently implemented initiatives, including
personnel management enhancements to reduce staffing gaps;
documentation and tracking of training requirements; and employment of
a PSU rotational cycle to improve the deploy-return-reconstitute cycle.
Question 5. I recently went to Haiti and saw the devastation
following the earthquake. I commend you for the critical work the Coast
Guard performed in Haiti. Your ships were the first to arrive and
because of the skills of the Coast Guard, lives were saved. Will tight
budgetary constraints affect the Coast Guard's ability to respond to
disasters of this kind in the future?
Answer. The Coast Guard provided the first U.S. response asset on
scene less than 18 hours after the earthquake. The Coast Guard's broad
statutory authorities, nimble organizational structure, and multi-
mission platforms enabled it to quickly flow forces to assist with the
international response in Haiti.
The Coast Guard's ability to perform its missions is closely tied
to its assets. Recapitalization is imperative to meet future demands.
The FY 2011 budget makes recapitalization a top priority, while
continuing to direct resources to our highest operational needs based
on current risks, threats, and mission requirements.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison to
Vice Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr.
Question 1. We often rely on the technical and legal expertise of
agency staff when we are developing or reviewing proposed legislation.
Can all members of the Committee, and their staff on their behalf,
count on this cooperative relationship continuing with the Coast Guard?
Answer. Yes.
Question 2. The Coast Guard has requested $10.08 billion in the
Fiscal Year 2011 budget, a $75 million decrease from the Fiscal Year
2010 budget. As the only branch in the Armed Forces to take a cut in
this year's budget request, how will the decrease in funding impact
Coast Guard operations? Do you support the decrease in Coast Guard
funding?
Answer. The President's FY 2011 budget request provides the Coast
Guard the necessary resources to carry out its missions. I support this
budget.
The FY 2011 budget focuses resources toward recapitalization of
aging cutters, aircraft and supporting infrastructure. Recapitalization
is critical to preserving future surface, air, and shore asset
capability. What the Coast Guard builds today will secure the Nation's
borders, rescue those in peril, preserve essential trade and commerce,
and protect the environment for decades to come. Under the FY 2011
budget, the Coast Guard will continue to perform its statutory missions
in the most effective, efficient and professional manner possible.
Question 3. The Fiscal Year 2011 budget would cut 1,172 military
positions. What is the operational impact of this decrease?
Answer. The reduction in personnel is primarily related to ships
that are being pulled from active duty as we recapitalize our aging
fleet. We are also adding over 300 civilian positions to meet our goals
for balancing our workforce between military and civilian personnel.
Consequently, the net reduction is approximately 773 positions. Under
the FY 2011 budget request, the Coast Guard will continue to perform
all of its statutory missions in the most effective, efficient, and
professional manner possible.
Question 4. What is the impact on remaining personnel and their
families?
Answer. The FY 2011 budget fully funds military pay benefits and
entitlements for regular and Reserve members, including a 1.4 percent
military pay raise. The Coast Guard will remain aligned with Department
of Defense on any changes to pay and benefits as mandated by the
National Defense Authorization Act.
Active duty military personnel attached to units slated for
decommissioning in the budget will be transferred to new units with
full consideration of the needs of the members of the Coast Guard and
their families.
Question 5. The Coast Guard has recently proposed to eliminate five
of its twelve Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSST). How will these
closures impact the remaining MSSTs?
Answer. The resources at the remaining seven MSSTs, including
personnel, boats, operations, and maintenance funding, will not be
affected. These MSSTs are positioned regionally to deploy nationally to
address maritime security threats.
Question 6. Is the Coast Guard committed to maintaining a MSST in
Galveston?
Answer. The FY 2011 budget does not affect MSST Galveston.
Question 7. One of the key issues for the Coast Guard is the
tradeoff between sustaining current Coast Guard assets and the
continued investment in future capability through fleet
recapitalization. Can you discuss how to maintain this balance while
continuing to meet the Coast Guard's statutory missions?
Answer. The FY 2011 budget focuses resources toward
recapitalization of aging cutters, aircraft and supporting
infrastructure. Recapitalization is critical to preserving future
surface, air, and shore asset capability. What the Coast Guard builds
today will secure the Nation's borders, rescue those in peril, preserve
essential trade and commerce, and protect the environment for decades
to come. Under the FY 2011 budget, the Coast Guard will continue to
perform its statutory missions in the most effective, efficient, and
professional manner possible.
If confirmed, I will work with Congress to ensure the Coast Guard
has the resources it needs to recapitalize aging assets while
continuing to direct resources to our highest operational needs based
on current risks, threats and mission requirements.
Question 8. In 2008 Hurricane Ike destroyed the Sector Field Office
in Galveston. When do you expect to have this facility rebuilt?
Answer. The Sector Field Office Galveston facility is anticipated
to be rebuilt by late Calendar Year 2012. In addition, the Coast Guard
continues to work on a current project to replace the Aids to
Navigation Team Galveston and shore-side Patrol Boat facilities. This
project is currently 70 percent complete and is expected to be finished
in late summer 2010.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Roger F. Wicker to
Vice Admiral Robert J. Papp, Jr.
Question 1. In light of the proposed 2011 decommissioning (and
return to the Navy) of Pascagoula, Mississippi-based cutters TORNADO,
SHAMAL and ZEPHYR, how do you plan to mitigate the operational impact
of the loss of these cutters? Does the Coast Guard have a long range
plan to replace these cutters in Pascagoula, and how do you intend to
cover the potential mission gap in the Gulf of Mexico region? If
confirmed, would you support a re-negotiation of the present lease
agreement with the Navy to extend the Coast Guard's use of these
Pascagoula based cutters?
Answer. The three Pascagoula Cyclone class cutters, TORNADO, SHAMAL
and ZEPHYR, are not planned for decommissioning in FY 2011, though the
current agreement for use of the remaining three cutters expires at the
end of FY 2011.
The Coast Guard is currently executing a patrol boat
recapitalization project to replaces its 49 aged, obsolete 110 foot
patrol boats (WPBs) with 58 fast response cutters (FRC) to meet mission
requirements, beginning in 2011. The new FRCs will provide 2,500
resource hours compared to 1,800--2,200 for WPBs as well as other
improved capabilities, including stern boat launch and enhanced
command, control, communications, computers, intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance systems. The Coast Guard is currently
working on its FY 2011 operational planning process to best allocate
its existing and planned cutter forces to maximize performance and
minimize risk across all statutory missions. As we look to future
planning cycles, we will assess all available cutter resources,
including Cyclone class vessels, to best meet mission demands within
available resources.
Question 2. During your confirmation testimony, you indicated you
did not support changing the Coast Guard Academy admissions process
from the current open enrollment system to the congressional
appointment model utilized by the other service academies. You also
stated that Academy admission of under-represented minorities continues
to be a challenge and that the Coast Guard is expanding its outreach
with many Historically Black Universities (HBU's). Can you please
highlight specific outreach efforts with historically black colleges
and universities in Mississippi and other parts of the country?
Answer. The Coast Guard has assigned a Captain (O-6) to the
position of National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher
Education (NAFEO)/Historical Black College University (HBCU) Liaison.
This officer is responsible for partnering with the leadership of NAFEO
and the Presidents of HBCUs to strengthen relationships between the
Coast Guard and these institutions and increasing the diversity of the
Coast Guard active duty, reserve, and civilian work force.
Additionally, the Coast Guard Liaison partners with other organizations
that have strong ties to the HBCU community, including the Thurgood
Marshall Scholarship Fund, the National Society of Black Engineers, the
Black Engineer of the Year Awards, the RIPPLE Institute, Inc., and the
White House Initiative on HBCUs.
In addition, the Coast Guard Academy is increasing recruiting
outreach in certain geographic areas to focus on underrepresented
minorities. These areas include Jackson and Hattiesburg, MS;
Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Marion, AL; and Atlanta, GA.
Question 3. During your confirmation testimony, you stated that
five Maritime Safety and Security Teams (MSST's) are scheduled for
decommissioning as part of President Obama's proposed FY 2011 Coast
Guard budget. In terms of potential decommissioned MSST equipment, how
many Defender class boats will be affected and what is the Coast
Guard's redistribution plan for these assets? If confirmed, how do you
plan on mitigating the increased risk of only having seven MSST's
available for response and deployment to maritime emergencies?
Answer. The FY 2011 budget transitions the Maritime Safety and
Security Teams (MSSTs) to a regional model. Within this new construct,
the Coast Guard will still be able to rapidly deploy teams of skilled
professionals to ports and operating areas across the country based on
risk and threats as needed.
As a result of the new regional model, 30 Defender class small
boats will be removed from service.
The Coast Guard will also continue to leverage all available
intelligence resources and partnerships across DHS, the Federal
Government and state and local law enforcement to collectively mitigate
risks and ensure the security of the Nation's ports.
Question 4. President Obama's FY 2011 Coast Guard budget includes a
proposed net reduction of approximately 773 positions (-1,112 military,
+339 civilians). Could you please detail your human resource plan to
achieve these 1,112 active duty force reductions without sacrificing
mission performance?
Answer. The reduction in personnel is primarily related to ships
that are being pulled from active duty as we recapitalize our aging
fleet. Reductions to the workforce will be managed through regular
attrition and strategic recruitment to minimize the impact and maximize
operational capacity. Under the FY 2011 budget request, the Coast Guard
will continue to perform all of its statutory missions in the most
effective, efficient, and professional manner possible.
Question 5. Will these active duty cuts be evenly distributed
between Officer and Enlisted billets?
Answer. The personnel reductions in the FY 2011 budget are directly
tied to the decommissionings of several operational units. Those units
(especially the High Endurance Cutters and MSSTs) have many more
enlisted members than officers and that is reflected in the proposed
reductions (104 officers and 1,008 enlisted).
Question 6. Could you also please provide a breakdown of how the
additional 339 civilian billets will be distributed?
Answer. Consistent with Administration and Departmental goals, the
Coast Guard is committed to building an appropriate balance of in-house
and contract resources.
In FY 2011, the Coast Guard plans to implement this balanced
workforce initiative to convert contracted professional services to
Federal Government positions through establishment of 300 full time
positions, of which a portion are civilian positions. Additional
civilian position increases in the 2011 budget include logistics
support personnel for new assets being delivered via recapitalization
projects. Finally, the FY 2011 budget reflects a technical adjustment
to account for military and civilian conversions in 2009.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John D. Rockefeller IV
to Dr. Larry Robinson
Question 1. What do you see as the greatest challenges facing our
oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes, and how should NOAA address those
challenges?
Answer. The Nation's greatest challenge related to our oceans,
coasts, and Great Lakes will be coping with the cumulative impacts of
emerging industries, traditional uses, and large coastal populations.
Multiple direct uses, such as fishing, ocean energy, aquaculture, and
recreation, are all competing for the same space in our coastal and
offshore areas, and individual and collective impacts from nearby uses
can interact to create exponential negative effects. I understand that
the President's Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force has proposed an
Interim Framework for coastal and marine spatial planning (CMSP) that
takes a holistic, spatially explicit look and different potential
combinations of uses to decide the desired future mix of industries and
protected areas. I believe that CMSP has the potential to better assess
and plan for cumulative impacts and competing uses. If I am confirmed,
I will work to ensure that NOAA will continue to play a key role in
working with partners nationwide and providing the baseline maps,
science, and other information needed to make informed decisions.
The other major challenge facing our Nation is how ecosystems will
evolve due to climate change, and how management decisions will also
need to evolve to address these changes. For example, changes in
ecosystems will likely mean changes in fishery yields and other ocean
based economies. I believe that NOAA can improve our understanding of
the interplay between species, humans, and the physical environment
which is needed for responding to impacts such as ocean acidification,
which can have far-reaching impacts on our resources and related
economies. A potential for costly impacts to people, infrastructure,
and economies might also result from sea level rise. If confirmed, I
hope to support NOAA's lead role in supporting research, modeling the
potential range of future impacts and providing services, such as
coastal inundation maps, to people nationwide as a basis for making
sound planning decisions.
Question 2. From food to fuel, we rely on oceans. Nearly 80 percent
of U.S. import and export freight is transported through seaports. Jobs
and economic opportunities that emerge from our oceans, Great Lakes,
and coastal resources generate more than 50 percent of our Nation's
Gross Domestic Product and provide over 70 million jobs to Americans.
As Assistant Secretary, you would be responsible for fisheries and
ocean and coastal programs within NOAA. How would you recommend
strengthening NOAA's efforts to support the ``blue economy'' and
stewardship of our coasts, oceans, and fisheries?
Answer. I have discussed with the NOAA Administrator and the
Secretary of Commerce their priority, which I will share should I be
confirmed, of developing and deploying a ``Blue-Green'' strategy. I am
honored at the prospect of working with NOAA and Department of Commerce
leadership to create or preserve jobs and foster economic growth
through the sustainable use, conservation or restoration of ocean and
coastal resources. If confirmed, I would work with the talented NOAA
workforce to use sound, science-based management decisions to ensure
long term sustainability of the Nation's resources in order to support
a sustainable blue economy and vibrant coastal and fishing communities.
I also believe that to build NOAA's ``blue economy'' strategy, the
agency must collaborate with all of its stakeholders to refine its
services and products that further the growth of the blue-green
economy.
Question 3. Dr. Robinson, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration's programs and services affect more than one-third of
our Nation's gross domestic product. The agency's mission is vital to
protecting our coasts and oceans, and it is also critical to supporting
our national economy. How would you broaden the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration's support within the Federal Government and
bring greater awareness about the agency's work to the public?
Answer. I know that NOAA is engaged collaboratively with many
Federal agencies on a range of issues, providing their unique mix of
data and information services related to coastal and ocean
environments. These efforts will be greatly enhanced if the proposed
National Ocean Council is established. This council would highlight
ocean issues throughout the Federal Government and be a place where
NOAA could help other agencies meet their mandates related to ocean
resources by providing useful and timely information. As a current
member of Ocean Research and Resources Advisory Panel (ORRAP), I have
been active in advising the Federal sector in strengthening
collaboration to improve ocean management. If confirmed, I plan to
continue to work in the interagency process to strengthen NOAA's role
and support across the government.
I understand NOAA is also creating a new focus on coastal
communities and processes. Our coastal areas are a major economic
engine in this country and they are also where a majority of our
citizens live, work, and play. Engaging more comprehensively in these
geographic areas--where numerous other Federal agencies have management
mandates--will also create opportunities for partnerships and to
showcase what science and products NOAA can share to enhance these
other agencies' activities.
Publically, NOAA's most visible function is the National Weather
Service because it provides the information that people need on a daily
basis. Learning from that success, NOAA has now proposed to create a
Climate Service. If confirmed, I plan to engage with the Climate
Service to provide the public and coastal managers with essential
climate and adaption information--a need that is of paramount
importance to numerous coastal cities and states.
Finally, I would like to build on the leadership shown by Dr.
Lubchenco to place a greater emphasis on communicating science to the
public. An aware and interested constituency is one the greatest
actions we can take to promote future conservation, as well as
knowledge of and interest in the NOAA mission.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Mark Begich to
Dr. Larry Robinson
Question 1. If I understand NOAA's recent leadership
reorganization, your position places you between the political leaders
at the top of the organization and the career NOAA work force, where
your responsibilities will include two areas very important to Alaska:
fisheries management and marine mammal conservation. Can you describe
your philosophy on NOAA's statutory responsibility (in Magnuson-Stevens
Act) to provide sustainable uses of ocean resources?
Answer. The effective implementation of the Magnuson-Stevens Act
is, and will continue to be, a very high priority for NOAA both off
Alaska and across the country. The management of the marine fisheries
resources in the North Pacific is often held out as an example of one
of the most effective in the Nation. If confirmed, my goal will be to
continue that tradition. In cooperation with the North Pacific Fishery
Management Council, I look forward to leading NOAA's continued work
toward both the biological sustainability of these resources and the
economic stability of the Alaskan communities so dependent upon them.
While there will undoubtedly be challenges in the future, I assure you
we will address them through a science-based and public process.
Question 2. I'm told the new administration will soon put in place
a new National Ocean Policy. The only view Alaskans have had of this
new Policy was the release in September 2009 of the Ocean Policy Task
Force Interim Report, which was exclusively focused on stewardship and
environmental impact. Lacking in this draft policy was discussion on
sustainable economic uses of the ocean and the role of Regional Fishery
Management Council. As the Assistant Secretary overseeing ocean
resource management, can I be assured that Alaska's ocean resource
users will have a voice at the policy table?
Answer. In my present position outside of NOAA, I have not been
involved in the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force or its reports. At
my confirmation hearing, I highlighted my philosophy that coordination
is key to effective resource management. Of utmost importance is the
inclusion of stakeholders in such efforts. Should I be confirmed, I can
assure you that all resource users, including those in Alaska, will be
able to provide input into these decisions.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison to
Dr. Larry Robinson
Question 1. We often rely on the technical and legal expertise of
agency staff when we are developing or reviewing proposed legislation.
Can all members of the Committee, and their staff on their behalf,
count on this cooperative relationship continuing with your respective
agencies?
Answer. Yes, if confirmed you can count on me to continue to work
with the Committee on any and all requests and try to find ways to make
the communication even better.
Question 2. Last September NOAA sent comments to the Minerals
Management Service urging the Interior Department to drastically reduce
plans in the Draft Proposed Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing
Plan to open new areas to oil and gas development. If confirmed would
you support opening new areas of the Outer Continental Shelf to oil and
gas development?
Answer. I support the President and other Cabinet members in their
position that the Administration will look at the Outer Continental
Shelf (OCS) as part of a comprehensive energy program for the Nation.
This broad and strategic approach will consider economic opportunity in
the United States from energy-related jobs and technologies, the
environmental insecurity associated with global warming, and the
national security issues associated with dependence on foreign energy
sources. It will not just be focused on oil and gas, but also onshore
and offshore renewable and alternative sources of energy. If confirmed,
I will make sure that any new development of our OCS oil and gas
resources would be considered as part of this comprehensive energy
program.
Additionally, it is very important to me that proper environmental
precautions are taken if any new areas of oil and gas are going to be
opened on the OCS. NOAA has significant trust resource responsibilities
in the OCS. I want to ensure that living marine resources and the
coastal communities that rely upon them are protected in accordance
with NOAA's legislative mandates. Resilient coastal communities and
economies depend on healthy ocean and coastal ecosystems.
Question 3. The Administration has recently developed a framework
to implement Marine Spatial Planning in U.S. waters. Many are concerned
that this is an attempt to zone our oceans. How will marine spatial
planning will impact current and future oil and gas activity?
Answer. I do not believe that Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning
(CUSP) is about drawing lines on a map and restricting energy
development. Rather, I see it as a comprehensive planning process that
involves all resource managers, stakeholders and users across the broad
spectrum of sectors that touch the ocean. It is intended to build upon
and significantly improve existing decision-making and planning
processes, minimize user and use conflicts, identify compatible uses
and activities, and result in a more coherent system of managing the
diverse uses.
As I understand the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force's work thus
far, CMSP would build upon planning processes for oil and gas
development; not supersede them. The CMSP process is not intended to
halt existing projects or plans pending the development of coastal and
marine spatial plans (CMS Plans). However, those responsible for making
decisions on existing plans and projects would be expected to take into
account the goals, principles and objectives of CMSP to the extent
possible under existing law. Once a CMS Plan is put into effect, its
implementation would be phased in to avoid undue disruption or delay of
projects with pending permits or other applications.
Question 4. NOAA recently released a draft policy on implementing
catch shares for our Nation's fisheries. While catch share have worked
for many commercial fisheries I am concerned about their impact on
recreational fishermen. How would you propose to implement a catch
share scheme for a fishery with a significant recreational component?
Answer. While I am not yet familiar with the details of NOAA's
draft catch share plan, I am familiar with catch share programs
generally. I understand that their design is largely driven by the
needs of the fishery. As with all programs of this sort in which
stakeholders, including recreational fishermen, are affected, I believe
that strong stakeholder input and involvement are key to success.
Should I be confirmed, I look forward to familiarizing myself with
NOAA's draft catch share policy, reviewing the comments that NOAA
receives from stakeholders, working with NOAA staff to finalize the
policy and then giving fishery management councils the support they
need, should they vote to implement a catch share program.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John Thune to
Dr. Larry Robinson
Question 1. What is your opinion of marine spatial planning and how
do you believe that recreational fishing ought to be treated under this
type of planning process?
Answer. I believe that Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning (CMSP)
is an important process for helping our Nation comprehensively address
the multiple threats that are facing our oceans and coasts and the
increasing demands of users for access to these important resources.
Recreational fishing and boating are important parts of our Nation's
economy and social fabric that rely on these resources. In order for
CMSP to work effectively, all users and stakeholders, including the
recreational user community, will need to participate by expressing
their views and concerns and working collaboratively with other parties
to ensure that our ocean ecosystems are healthy and resilient and able
to support current and future uses of our oceans, coasts and Great
Lakes.
Question 2. Considering that recreational angling only accounts for
3 percent of the total U.S. fish landings every year, while providing
an annual economic stimulus of $125 billion and supporting over 1
million jobs, how would you recommend that recreational angling and
access to fishing in public waters be protected in any policies put
forward by this Administration?
Answer. NOAA is entrusted with ensuring the long-term health and
use of America's living marine resources. To meet this very direct, yet
exceedingly complex charge, NOAA must continually promote and evaluate
emerging marine science, build consensus and ensure compliance with
management decisions, and balance competing needs of stakeholders with
respect to such issues as access, conservation, recreation, and
commerce. I recognize recreational saltwater fishing is vitally
important to our coastal areas as both a source of recreation and
significant income and employment for many communities. I am aware that
the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force is carefully considering the
comments and needs of the recreational fishing community in its final
report. Engaging stakeholders throughout the process is an essential
element of both of these activities. I also understand that Dr.
Lubchenco is committed to improving NOAA `s relationship with the
recreational community.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. David Vitter to
Dr. Larry Robinson
Question. Regarding the Ocean Policy Task Force's Interim Framework
for Effective Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning, please list all
legal and regulatory tools the Administration planning on utilizing in
its implementation of the program?
Answer. As I have not yet been confirmed and have not been involved
in the development of the Interim Framework, I cannot speak to all of
the legal and regulatory tools the Administration is planning on
utilizing in its implementation of Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning
(CMSP). I understand that Interim Framework envisions that CMSP would
be developed and implemented under existing authorities. Coastal and
marine spatial plans (CMS Plans) would not be regulatory in nature, but
regional planning body partners would be expected to adhere to an
agreed-upon final CMS Plan within the limits of their existing
statutory and regulatory authorities. Federal and State agencies and
tribal authorities would incorporate CMS Plans into their pre-planning,
planning, and permitting processes to the extent consistent with
existing laws and regulations.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison to
Dr. Earl Weener
Question 1. We often rely on the technical and legal expertise of
agency staff when we are developing or reviewing proposed legislation.
Can all members of the Committee, and their staff on their behalf count
on this cooperative relationship continuing with the NTSB?
Answer. It is my understanding that the NTSB enjoys a good working
relationship with the members of the Senate Commerce Committee and
their staff. If I am confirmed to be a Board Member on the NTSB, I will
be pleased to help continue that relationship and support the Committee
Members and their staff in their efforts to develop and review proposed
legislation.
Question 2. What do you believe are the most critical
transportation safety issues facing our Nation today?
Answer. There are two critical transportation safety issues in
which I am particularly interested:
1. The effect of human factors, specifically those related to
fatigue and distraction/attention. Both of these factors cut
across all modes of transportation because the same make and
model of human operator is involved regardless of the specific
mode of transportation. The NTSB has identified fatigue as an
issue for its Most Wanted List of Safety Improvements in
several modes of transportation. Operator distraction issues
are becoming more prevalent because of the increased
availability of portable, hand-held electronic communication
devices such as cell-phones, text messaging devices, notebook
computers, etc. It is more important than ever to gather
objective data about accidents involving operator distraction,
whether it is a factor in the accident or part of the probable
cause.
2. Implementation of Safety Management System (SMS) principles
and practices, which are applicable in principle to all modes
of transportation, as a means to further improve transportation
safety. The basic elements of SMS are relatively
straightforward:
Recognition by the organization's management of its
responsibility for managing safety as an element of the
enterprise operation;
Awareness by management of the organization's safety
performance, which may require implementation of a ``just
culture'' philosophy to enhance safety information flow;
Risk assessments of the operations and the implementation of
changes to operational processes and procedures to reduce or
eliminate safety risks;
Assessment and review of subsequent safety performance to
identify refinements that further enhance safety performance.
Question 3. NTSB recently added ``Improved Oversight of Pilot
Proficiency'' to its Most Wanted List. As someone with a background in
aviation safety, how do you recommend that FAA improve its oversight of
the way airlines hire and train their pilots?
Answer. Investigation of recent accidents has found that pilots who
meet regulatory requirements sometimes lack adequate proficiency. More
attention should be paid to proficiency as determined by testing and
evaluation, including simulation evaluations. Crew Resource Management
(CRM) training can augment technical flight and ground training with
human factors subjects, with an emphasis being placed on operations by
a crew rather than by individuals.
Improved flight safety is not dependent upon new innovation; it can
continue with effective practice of what is already well known.
Implementation of safety data reporting and resolution processes such
as ASAP (Aviation Safety Action Program) are very effective safety
tools when embraced by both management and pilots. Likewise, FOQA
(Flight Operations Quality Assurance) provides objective understanding
of how an operator's airplanes are being operated.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John D. Rockefeller IV
to Dr. Michael F. Tillman
Question 1. You've worked as both a researcher and a manager. One
of the greatest challenges to effective conservation is translating
good science into good policy. What are some of the ways you will apply
your varied work experiences in order to turn the best available
science into well-informed policies?
Answer. I have had the good fortune of working on conservation
matters as a scientist, manager, and policy-maker. Based on my
experience, I would emphasize certain seemingly simple but often
neglected principles. Specifically, if confirmed I will----
prioritize research to ensure it is well-aligned with
current policy needs;
stress the need for strategic planning to anticipate
emerging conservation issues;
emphasize the value of long-term research well suited to the
temporal dimensions of the policy issue;
emphasize an adaptive management approach that adjusts to
account for new information and knowledge;
stress structured decision-making based on objective risk/
benefit analyses;
strive to understand the socio-economic conditions in which
the policies must be implemented; and
support an appropriately precautionary approach to resource
management.
Clear, concise communication also is critical for translating the
best available science into well-informed policies. Moreover, if
confirmed I will do my best to communicate frequently and regularly
with policymakers to ensure that they are as well informed about marine
mammal conservation issues as possible.
Question 2. You've served three times on the U.S. delegation to the
International Whaling Commission. Since the moratorium was imposed by
the IWC on all commercial whaling, the numbers of whales harvested
through exemptions and disregard for IWC policies has increased every
year. What do you see as the future role of IWC in this decade and
beyond?
Answer. I have served on a number of U.S. delegations to the
International Whaling Commission (IWC). My involvement with the IWC
goes back to the 1970s. I have served as Vice Chair and Chair, of the
IWC's Scientific Committee, as a senior advisor to U.S. Commissioners,
and, for 10 years, as the Deputy U.S. Commissioner to the IWC.
As you indicate, the number of whales being killed in scientific
whaling and under objections to the moratorium on commercial whaling
has increased ten-fold since the moratorium on commercial whaling was
established over two decades ago. This whaling arguably is consistent
with the terms of the International Convention on the Regulation of
Whaling, the international agreement that governs the operation of the
IWC. Article V of the Convention sets forth a process by which member
nations may object to Schedule amendments and thus not be bound by
them. Both Norway and Iceland have filed objections to the commercial
whaling moratorium. Japan's whaling is conducted pursuant to Article
VIII of the Convention, which grants member nations independent
authority to issue special permits to their nationals to allow the
killing of whales for purposes of scientific research.
My preference would be to end whaling under these exceptions by
securing full compliance with the commercial whaling moratorium and
bringing scientific whaling under the control of the IWC. After several
years of pursuing these goals, however, I am convinced that our chance
of achieving them fully in the near term is remote. That is why I
support the recent efforts of the United States and several other
countries to find a way past the current logjam that is undermining the
operation and effectiveness of the IWC. These countries have been
pursuing a compromise under which some significantly reduced level of
whaling would be countenanced--but not legitimized--for a set period of
time while IWC works on longer-term solutions to resolve the current
impasse. The details of this compromise are still being negotiated.
Consequently, without a clearer picture of the extent to which the
number of whales being killed would be reduced, the adequacy of the
monitoring program that would ensure that hunting limits are observed,
and other elements of the compromise, it is too early to form a
conclusion. Nonetheless, I believe that the negotiations have good
prospects and am hopeful that they will result in a way forward that
will retain and strengthen the role of the IWC in conserving whales
over the next decade and beyond. If no compromise is reached and the
whaling nations abandon the IWC, the whales will be the ultimate
losers.
Question 3. The recent interim report from the Joint Ocean Policy
Task Force stressed the need for ecosystem-based management. Do you see
areas where we can better integrate ecosystem-based management into
marine mammal conservation?
Answer. The Marine Mammal Protection Act was one of the first laws
to recognize the value of an ecosystem-based approach to research and
management. Although much remains to be learned about a full ecosystem-
based approach, important progress has been made and further progress
can be expected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, Endangered
Species Act, National Environmental Policy Act, Coastal Zone Management
Act, and other environmental legislation. For example, efforts to
reduce bycatch of non-target species in fisheries is, in many respects,
one element of an ecosystem approach to the management of direct
fishery effects. In essence, bycatch reduction measures protect non-
target species, including marine mammals, from injury and mortality
associated directly with fishing.
Evaluating the indirect effects of fishing could make further
progress toward an ecosystem approach to fishery management. The
current approach to fisheries management aims to reduce the biomass of
target species by as much as 60 percent or more, which may constitute a
considerable reduction in available prey to marine mammals and other
predators that depend on the same target species.
Marine mammals also could benefit from research to identify and
protect biological hotspots and migratory pathways. Since many marine
mammals move between seasonal breeding and feeding grounds, seasonal
adjustments to the timing and locations of certain human activities
(e.g., commercial shipping, fishing, seismic testing for oil and gas,
Navy exercises) may reduce substantially the potential for adverse
interactions with marine mammals. The development of shipping corridors
in the Cape Cod area provides an example of a spatial measure that
greatly reduces the likelihood of ship strikes involving endangered
right whales.
Reducing nutrient input into coastal marine environments also could
benefit marine mammals, as well as seabirds, fishes and invertebrates,
by preventing or reducing the lethal effects of harmful algal blooms.
Although a number of factors may contribute to such blooms, reducing
nutrient input by controlling upstream activities is one way of
preventing or mitigating them.
The development and implementation of ship-quieting technologies
also could reduce the potential for adverse effects on marine mammals
by reducing background noise that may interfere with marine mammal
hearing, communication, hunting and detection of predators. These are
but a few examples of ways to minimize degradation of marine ecosystems
for the benefit of marine mammals and other living marine resources.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchinson
to
Dr. Michael F. Tillman
Question 1. We often rely on the technical and legal expertise of
agency staff when we are developing or reviewing proposed legislation.
Can all members of the Committee, and their staff on their behalf,
count on this cooperative relationship continuing with the Marine
Mammal Commission?
Answer. Based upon my past professional experience, the staff of
the Marine Mammal Commission does indeed constitute a significant
source of advice and information. Given their extensive expertise,
experience and historical perspective, the staff of the Commission
constitutes a valuable resource that should be called upon by committee
members and staff on both sides of the aisle. I would expect them to
continue being available to explain the background on current
legislation, to serve as an informal sounding-board for new ideas, and
to provide technical drafting assistance. If confirmed, I anticipate
that this level of cooperation should continue and encourage committee
members and their staff to think first about contacting the
Commission's staff when they have questions or need assistance
pertaining to marine mammals and the legislation relating to their
conservation and management.
Question 2. For a number of years, the Marine Mammal Commission has
expressed concern about NOAA's Fisheries Service authorization of
incidental take of marine mammals during Navy sonar training exercises.
Some of these very important exercises take place in the Gulf of
Mexico. As a part of the Marine Mammal Commission, how would you plan
to work with the Navy and with NOAA to find workable policies and
mitigation strategies?
Answer. I recently became aware of Jane Lubchenco's letter of 19
January 2010 to Nancy Sutley regarding NOAA's review of mitigation
measures in rules authorizing takes of marine mammals incidental to
Navy training exercises. The letter describes three new, substantial
investments that would improve the scientific basis for designing and
implementing new mitigation strategies. With both agencies, as well as
the Minerals Management Survey, engaging as full partners in their
planning and execution, the new initiatives will include:
new aerial surveys for cetaceans and sea turtles to identify
areas of biological significance and provide fine-scale density
estimates;
a workshop to develop a plan for estimating a comprehensive
sound budget for oceans and providing a baseline for measuring
and evaluating cumulative sound impacts; and
workshops that will provide the scientific basis for
designing new, effective mitigation measures that protect
marine mammal habitat.
Additionally, the letter referred to the requirement under existing
permits for convening workshops to evaluate current mitigation measures
and to identify new, improved mitigation strategies that could be
implemented through the permits' adaptive management provisions.
Moreover, the letter stressed the new monitoring program the Navy was
implementing under its existing permits.
All of these cooperative efforts bode well for the health of
affected marine mammal populations. The letter encourages me in the
belief that all parties are working together in good faith to find and
implement workable policies and implementation strategies. The role of
the Marine Mammal Commission will be to review these efforts, evaluate
them, and advise on ways to improve them, as needed.
Question 3. Are you committed to helping the Navy find a way to
conduct these exercises?
Answer. Within the limits of applicable law, I am committed to
helping the Navy accomplish its mission, including needed training.
Based upon Dr. Lubchenco's letter mentioned above and other recent
consultations, I am much encouraged by the cooperative attitudes of
both the Navy and NOAA. It appears to me that both parties are
committed to working together to find ways forward that meet applicable
national policies and legal mandates. If confirmed, I am committed to
having the Marine Mammal Commission facilitate and support these joint
activities that hold much promise. They will make our job much easier.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John D. Rockefeller IV
to Dr. Daryl J. Boness
Question 1. As the Chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission, you
will need to bring both leadership and vision to the Commission. What
do you see as the greatest challenge facing the Commission today? And
do you have a vision for what the Commission might look like tomorrow?
Answer. Congress enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act with the
primary objective of maintaining the health and stability of the marine
ecosystem. Although the Act focuses on marine mammals, their long-term
conservation is intimately tied to the overall status of the world's
oceans. The greatest challenge facing the Commission is to promote
measures that will sustain healthy marine mammal populations and oceans
in a rapidly changing world. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that, by
2030, the U.S. population will have increased by 55 million people,
about half of whom will reside in coastal regions, but all of whom may
affect marine ecosystems. The Bureau projects that the global human
population will reach 8.2 billion in the same period, and such growth
will place great strain on the world's oceans. We are seeing many of
the warning signs now, including the effects of climate change (e.g.,
loss of sea ice, acidification), overfishing, degradation of coastal
habitats, harmful algal blooms, dead zones, disease, contaminants, and
increasing noise introduced into the oceans by various human
activities. Efforts to address such threats have been and undoubtedly
will be compromised by limited resources and competing priorities. In
many regards, the challenge is first to understand the diverse human
activities that are interconnected to form a broad pattern of use, or
in some cases misuse, of marine resources, and then to ensure that our
research and management efforts are sufficiently well focused to
address the resulting conservation issues.
The Commission's future and its ability to help resolve future
conservation challenges lie largely in the quality of its staff and
Committee of Scientific Advisors. To prepare for the foreseeable
future, the Marine Mammal Commission must have a staff and Committee
with the essential expertise to evaluate threats to marine mammals and
ecosystems, the creativity and resourcefulness to identify potential
solutions to those threats, the social skills to foster cooperation and
coordination among the multiple agencies with ocean-related
responsibilities, and the endurance to tackle those issues over time
until they have reached the state of being well-managed. The Commission
need not be (and indeed should not be) large, but its human resources
are its greatest asset, and they must be sufficient to keep the
Commission abreast, or a step ahead, of those factors that threaten our
marine environment. So I view the Commission as a dynamic organization
driven to fulfill its duties as set forth in the Marine Mammal
Protection Act through the hard work and commitment of a well-informed,
objective, and resourceful staff and Committee of Scientific Advisors.
Question 2. Given declining Federal funds for scientific research,
monitoring, and modeling, how will the Commission work in partnership
with Federal agencies to ensure the best possible science is used in
the protection and conservation of marine mammals?
Answer. Partnerships are and will continue to be essential to
promote marine mammal protection and conservation. They must be multi-
agency, multi-disciplinary, and--in many cases--multi-national. The
Commission will continue its regular contact with agencies that have
ocean-related responsibilities, and will continue to emphasize the need
for well-prioritized, pro-active research appropriate to the temporal
(i.e., both short- and long-term) and spatial (i.e., both
geographically focused and broad) scales involved. The Commission also
will continue using its small research fund to identify key
conservation issues, provide seed money to jump-start promising
projects, and encourage matching funds from cooperating agencies.
Importantly, the Commission also will focus on the question of whether
the best available science is, indeed, adequate for the purposes at
hand and, when that is not the case, work with involved agencies to
address shortcomings. To that end, the Commission has recently been
developing a web-based survey of Federal funding for marine mammal
research and conservation to provide involved agencies and interested
parties an overview of all marine mammal research and conservation
efforts. This effort should help identify important gaps and
redundancies and thereby promote a more effective and coherent national
research strategy.
Question 3. Marine mammals can be affected by a number of human
activities. What role can the Commission play in resolving the inherent
tension between important human uses of the oceans--such as energy
development, transportation, and military operations--and protecting
vulnerable marine mammal populations?
Answer. Here, the Marine Mammal Commission can play a number of
vital roles. The Commission has long been and will continue to be an
advocate for anticipating potential effects of human activities and
developing pro-active solutions. It has emphasized, and will continue
to emphasize, the value of collecting adequate baseline information to
provide a basis for detecting when human activities are resulting in
unacceptable adverse impacts. It has encouraged, and will continue to
encourage, the development and implementation of best practices for
such activities. The Commission also has emphasized the importance of
monitoring and mitigation, and promoted careful evaluation of such
measures to ensure that they are meeting expectations. The Commission
also works closely with marine mammal experts from around the world and
frequently fosters international cooperation to address potential risk
factors. Finally, and importantly, the Commission has expanded, and
will continue to expand, its relationships with other agencies to
identify and circumvent risks before they become crises. For example,
it meets frequently with staff from the National Marine Fisheries
Service and Fish and Wildlife Service, and regularly with the Navy,
Department of State, and Minerals Management Service. It also
participates in various multi-agency committees and working groups to
promote better problem solving.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison to
Dr. Daryl J. Boness
Question 1. We often rely on the technical and legal expertise of
agency staff when we are developing or reviewing proposed legislation.
Can all members of the Committee, and their staff on their behalf,
count on this cooperative relationship continuing with the Marine
Mammal Commission?
Answer. If confirmed as Chairman of the Marine Mammal Commission, I
would ensure that the Commission, its Committee of Scientific Advisors
on Marine Mammals, and its staff continue to support and work closely
with the Committee whenever requested to provide technical and legal
expertise and advice. Indeed, the Marine Mammal Commission has
endeavored to be responsive to the Committee, as evidenced by the
completion of and submission of reports to Congress over the past few
years on several issues that were requested by the Committee. Among
these include reports on the Biological Viability of the Most
Endangered Marine Mammals and the Cost Effectiveness of Protection
Programs and Marine Mammals and Noise: A Sound Approach to Research and
Management. I consider such cooperation and support to be critical
elements of the Commission's mission.
Question 2. For a number of years, the Marine Mammal Commission has
expressed concern about NOAA's Fisheries Service authorization of
incidental take of marine mammals during Navy sonar training exercises.
Some of these exercises very important exercises take place in the Gulf
of Mexico. As a part of the Marine Mammal Commission, how would you
plan to work with the Navy and with NOAA to find workable policies and
mitigation strategies? Are you committed to helping the Navy find a way
to conduct these exercises?
Answer. The Marine Mammal Commission has great respect for the Navy
and recognizes the importance of Navy sonar training exercises to the
national security of our country. The Commission also believes that the
Navy is making substantial effort to be a good steward of the marine
environment. That being said, the Commission is concerned about the
effects of certain Navy exercises on the marine environment. The
Commission communicates its concern in letters, but also meets
quarterly with the Navy to discuss ways to address the underlying
issues. For example, the Commission has discussed at length its
concerns about the efficacy of monitoring and mitigation measures and
the Navy has responded by developing an Integrated Comprehensive
Monitoring Plan. Similarly, the Commission has emphasized the need for
peer review of Navy science and the Navy has established a pattern of
engaging the best available scientists in these reviews.
The Navy has worked closely with NOAA to prepare incidental take
authorizations for Navy exercises. NOAA also has recently reviewed
mitigation measures in rules authorizing take of marine mammals
incidental to Navy training exercises and announced efforts to work
with the Navy to develop additional mitigation measures. These measures
include reinitiating comprehensive aerial surveys of cetaceans,
estimating a comprehensive sound budget for the oceans, identifying
cetacean ``hot spots,'' and evaluating models of cetacean distribution.
I can assure you that, if confirmed as Chairman of the Marine Mammal
Commission, I will ensure that the Commission participates
constructively in such efforts by providing useful recommendations for
protecting marine mammals while facilitating the Navy's vital work.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Frank R. Lautenberg to
Jeffrey R. Moreland
Question 1. One of the biggest challenges you will face as a Board
member for Amtrak is developing an annual budget. The Administration's
budget request for Amtrak this year is $500 million dollars less than
what Amtrak requested to meet its needs. What role will you play to
spur the Administration to support Amtrak's higher budget needs?
Answer. I recognize that Amtrak is a somewhat unique entity in that
the Board of Directors is independent of the Administration but one of
the members is the Secretary of Transportation. As a member of the
Board, I will advocate to all of my colleagues, including the Secretary
that the Corporation seek the resources it needs to fulfill the
strategy and business plan we adopt. I am also mindful that the needs
of Amtrak are far from the only consideration that goes into developing
an Administration's budget request. Thus, I believe that where
necessary, the Corporation may need to use its statutory authority to
advocate for its resource needs independent of the Administration's
proposal.
Question 2. You come from an industry where companies have the
ability to make multi-year capital investment plans. Unfortunately,
Amtrak does not have this same luxury and its fate rests on the annual
appropriations process. How would Amtrak benefit from a multi-year
guaranteed funding program?
Answer. Not knowing from year-to-year what financial resources are
available limits the ability of any entity to establish a meaningful
vision other than survival and forces consideration of strategies that,
over the long run, are not the most effective use of resources. This
unfortunately, has been Amtrak's situation since its inception. A
multi-year guaranteed funding program as suggested in your question
would go a long way toward addressing this chronic challenge.
Question 3. In a report that studied high-speed rail in France,
Japan, and Spain, the GAO found that these countries committed
significant government support for their high-speed rail systems. But
here in this country, every year we have to fight for just enough funds
to keep Amtrak afloat. Is it realistic to expect a high-speed passenger
rail system to be successful without significant government
contributions toward capital and operating expenses?
Answer. Few if any markets for high-speed rail are likely to be
able to cover all of their costs, particularly initial capital costs,
for the foreseeable future. If the national policy is to develop a
national system of high-speed intercity passenger rail, then it will
require substantial financial investment by others, in particular
governments at all levels. Amtrak, with one foot in the public sector
and one foot in the private sector, may also be able to play an
important role in facilitating non-governmental investment to reduce
the burden that would be placed on governmental budgets.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Tom Udall to
Jeffrey R. Moreland
Question 1. The State of New Mexico recently constructed a third
passenger rail line that provides regular service from Belen north to
Santa Fe. I would like to see passenger rail expanded even further in
the intermountain west to eventually provide transportation options for
travelers from El Paso all the way north to Denver. Do you support the
creation of a truly national passenger rail system that includes the
rapidly growing Intermountain West?
Answer. I share the vision of a truly national system of intercity
passenger rail service that connects and serves all of our regions. I
believe that the Intermountain West has a place in such a national
system.
Question 2. How can Amtrak achieve this goal?
Answer. Under the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act,
Amtrak, the U.S. Department of Transportation and the States all have a
role in the development and operation of intercity passenger rail
service. The key planning responsibilities fall on the States and the
DOT. Amtrak, because of its experience in rail operations and its right
of access to the rail system, can be a valuable support to the States
and DOT in developing plans for expanded service, such as that in the
Intermountain West, and strategies for making such expanded service a
reality.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kay Bailey Hutchison to
Jeffrey R. Moreland
Question 1. We often rely on the technical and legal expertise of
agency staff when we are developing or reviewing proposed legislation.
Can all members of the Committee, and their staff on their behalf,
count on this cooperative relationship continuing with Amtrak?
Answer. Yes. I believe it is the responsibility of all who seek
funding or other benefits from the Congress to help the Congress make
informed decisions by providing both information and the technical
expertise that Congress might request.
Question 2. What do you believe are the major management challenges
facing Amtrak today? As a board member, how will you respond to these
challenges?
Answer. A major challenge that has faced Amtrak since its inception
is the inability to make multi-year commitments to planning and
investment because the Corporation depends on the uncertain and highly
fluctuating levels of annual appropriations. Another serious challenge
has been the comparatively brief tenure of CEOs over the last 15 years.
This lack of stability at the top of the organization makes it
exceedingly difficult to develop and implement a strategic vision for
the Corporation. I believe that the Board owns the latter challenge and
we must provide both stability and very high-level direction to the
senior management. With this, the Corporation will develop the
credibility that might help Congress address the former challenge.
Question 3. You have spent much of your career as an executive at
BNSF. What can be done to improve the working relationship between
Amtrak and the freight railroads?
Answer. Over the years, Amtrak's relationship with BNSF and its
predecessor companies have been among the best. But even this
relationship can be improved by better communications and a better
understanding of each other's needs that result in more realistic
expectations of what each other can accomplish. The new Federal funding
role for intercity passenger rail service, including congestion relief,
offers the opportunity for win/win investments benefiting both
passenger and freight service that will make cooperation much more
productive than confrontation for both parts of the rail industry.