[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E11-E12]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INTRODUCING THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION ACT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, today I am pleased to introduce the National 
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Act. Better known as NOAA, the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration was created by 
Executive Order in 1970. It is the nation's lead civilian agency for 
oceans and atmosphere, yet Congress has never passed an overarching 
organic act describing the mission and functions of the agency. 
Instead, over the past 34 years Congress has defined the mission of the 
agency in a piecemeal manner with legislation focused on specific 
issues. The bill I am introducing today, which passed the Environment, 
Technology and Standards Subcommittee in the 108th Congress, is a first 
step toward Congressional passage of comprehensive legislation for 
NOAA.
  Last year, the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy released its long 
awaited report with

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recommendations for a coordinated national ocean policy. One of its key 
recommendations is that Congress should pass an organic act for NOAA. 
In his response to the Ocean Commission report, President Bush 
supported this recommendation. The time is right for Congress to 
consider, and pass, this organic act for NOAA.
  My bill establishes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) within the Department of Commerce. It defines the 
mission of NOAA as ``to understand and predict changes in the Earth's 
oceans and atmosphere and the effects of such changes on the land 
environment, to conserve and manage coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes 
ecosystems, and to educate the public about these topics.'' The recent 
Indian Ocean tsunami is just the latest evidence of the need for NOAA's 
research and services. My bill maintains the current leadership 
structure at NOAA, but adds a Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science 
and Technology to serve as the point person for the agency to 
coordinate the research and science activities of NOAA across the 
agency.
  This bill also describes the functions of NOAA, which are divided 
into three broad groups to improve cooperation among NOAA's programs, 
as recommended by the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. First is the 
National Weather Service, which provides weather, water and climate 
forecasts and warnings to the nation. The second group is operations 
and services, which includes all of NOAA's satellites services and its 
mapping and charting services. The third category of functions is 
research and education.
  The bill focuses on pieces of NOAA under Science Committee 
jurisdiction, and does not currently include any references to NOAA's 
fisheries or resource management, which are under the jurisdiction of 
the Resources Committee here in the House. I am hopeful that we can 
work with other committees in the House and our colleagues in the 
Senate to pass a truly comprehensive organic act for NOAA, but for now 
we must start with this legislation.
  I believe it is critical for NOAA's mission to be clearly defined so 
it can better fulfill its role in observing, managing, and protecting 
our nation's coastal, ocean and Great Lakes resources. I look forward 
to working with my colleagues in a bipartisan fashion to pass this bill 
into law this year. This will not be an easy task, but it is so 
important to our environment, our economy, and our children's and 
grandchildren's future, that we must succeed.

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