[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 81 (Wednesday, June 11, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5510-S5511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. McCAIN (by request):
  S. 877. A bill to disestablish the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration Corps of Commissioned Officers; to the Committee on 
Commerce, Science, and Transportation.


   NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION CORPS LEGISLATION

  Mr. McCAIN. Mr. President, on behalf of the administration, today I 
am introducing legislation to disestablish the National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration Corps. This legislation is long overdue on 
the part of the administration, and I am pleased to be able to initiate 
a possible resolution on this issue.
  In 1807, an organization known as the Coast Survey was established; 
this organization would later become NOAA. The Survey was responsible 
for charting the U.S. coastline, and its civilian employees were often 
augmented with military personnel. This interaction

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between the Survey and the military continued, and, during World Wars I 
and II, members of the Survey served to defend our Nation. At the end 
of World War II, these members retained their military rank and 
compensation but returned to civilian duties as the NOAA Corps. Today, 
the corps numbers approximately 300 officers.
  The corps operates the NOAA Fleet, flies the agency's hurricane 
research planes, and conducts a variety of activities essential for 
managing the Nation's natural resources. This bill seeks to maintain 
these services while improving the cost-effectiveness of the program. 
Under this legislation, civilian service positions would be created 
equivalent to existing NOAA Corps positions. Those officers with less 
than 15 years service would be eligible for these new civilian 
positions, while those with more than 15 years of service would be 
retired. Retired officers would still have an opportunity to compete 
for additional NOAA positions, as determined by the Under Secretary. 
The entire corps retirement program would be transferred to the 
Department of the Navy under this proposal.
  Disestablishment of the corps has been recommended by the Vice 
President's National Performance Review, the Government Accounting 
Office, and the inspector general of the Department of Commerce. The 
GAO estimates that this bill would save $5 million over a 10-year 
period.
  I am concerned that the NOAA Corps officers be treated fairly, and I 
understand that several of my colleagues have additional concerns about 
the impacts of this legislation. I look forward to addressing these 
issues through the committee process.
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