[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 65 (Friday, April 7, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E816]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                     DOWNSIZING THE WEATHER SERVICE

                                 ______


                            HON. TIM ROEMER

                               of indiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 6, 1995
  Mr. ROEMER. Mr. Speaker, Mark Twain once said ``Everybody talks about 
the weather, but nobody does anything about it.'' We are here today to 
do something about it.
  Congressman Klug and I are introducing a bill today to privatize 
those functions of the National Weather Service that duplicate private 
sector activities. I am also pleased that Congressman Chrysler has 
signed on as the first cosponsor.
  This is simple, basic legislation. The bill eliminates the 
specialized functions of the Weather Service that are duplicative of 
private sector efforts. This legislation will codify language in the 
President's fiscal year 1996 budget request, and support of the 
administration is expected.
  It is also the right approach to downsizing Government. Examine a 
program for merit: keep what you need, eliminate the rest. We are using 
a scalpel approach instead of a hatchet.
  The bill also codifies the Weather Service Policy Statement of 1990, 
which will prohibit them from competing with the private sector. The 
Weather Service will continue their core functions: weather forecasting 
to the general public, and issuing warnings of severe weather and 
destructive natural events such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and 
tsunamis.
  The following functions are ended under the bill: services in support 
of aviation, marine activities, agriculture, forestry, and other 
weather-sensitive activities. The approximate savings are listed below, 
in annual costs:
                                                             [Millions]
Fruit frost/agricultural forecasting...............................$2.3
Fire weather forecasting..............................................5
Dissemination of weather charts (Marine facsimile service)............5
Marine weather forecasting..........................................2.0
Regional climate centers............................................3.2
Aviation............................................................4.1
                                                               ________

      Total........................................................12.6
  In addition, a number of the duties of the Data information services 
network could be privatized. Data services has an annual budget of 
$36.6 million, another source of substantial potential savings.
  Following are a few examples of why this is good legislation:
  The Government provides frost forecasting for such giant 
conglomerates as Sunkist and Dole, who could easily pay for it 
themselves.
  The airlines all have meteorologists on staff, who duplicate the 
services that the Weather Service provides to airlines and FAA.
  The Weather Service sent a team of meteorologists to assist the 
Olympic Committee events coordinators to establish event schedules at 
taxpayer expense. There are a number of private U.S. weather companies 
that could have provided this service.
  Marine weather forecasting is provided to private yacht clubs. The 
Government should not be in the business of subsidizing luxury boating.
  Mr. Speaker, in order to make the large budget cuts we need to 
balance our budget, we must start with small steps. This legislation is 
a small but very significant step in the downsizing of the Federal 
Government, and I hope our colleagues will join Mr. Klug, Mr. Chrysler, 
and me in supporting this bill.


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