[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 186 (Thursday, December 6, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2509-E2510]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




RECOGNIZING 200 YEARS OF RESEARCH, SERVICE, AND STEWARDSHIP BY NOAA AND 
                        ITS PREDECESSOR AGENCIES

                                 ______
                                 



                             HON. RON KLEIN

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2007

  Mr. KLEIN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise to express concern about 
the lack of progress that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
Administration (NOAA) has made on the issue of hurricane tracking and 
prediction.
  Yesterday, the House passed a resolution honoring the 200th 
anniversary of NOAA, celebrating NOAA's many accomplishments. I voted 
for this resolution because the work of the men and women of NOAA has 
been and continues to be critical to keeping my constituents and the 
rest of our country safe from the threats of the hurricane season.
  However, I continue to be uncomfortable with the management of NOAA's 
decision to spend $4 million for a public relations campaign about its 
anniversary celebration. To spend $4 million dollars at a time when 
resources should be applied to assessing and supporting one of the most 
critical weather tools in hurricane tracking and prediction, the Quick 
Scatterometer (QuikSCAT) satellite, is completely unacceptable.

[[Page E2510]]

  The detailed daily snapshots provided by QuikSCAT allow 
climatologists, meteorologists, and oceanographers to better understand 
global weather abnormalities and to improve weather forecasting. In one 
day, QuikSCAT collects data covering 90 percent of the Earth's surface. 
Without the data provided by QuikSCAT, hurricane forecasting would be 
16 percent less accurate 72 hours before hurricane landfall and 10 
percent less accurate 48 hours before landfall. This decrease in 
accuracy would lead to larger stretches of coastline under evacuation 
warnings and more local resources utilized.
  That is why I helped author H.R. 2531, which authorizes $375 million 
to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for the 
design and launch of an improved QuikSCAT satellite. The new, next-
generation satellite would maintain weather forecasting and warning 
capabilities and improve data capabilities for future weather-related 
disasters. The bill also requires that NOAA provide annual reports on 
the status of the satellite to ensure that Congress has sufficient time 
for authorizing and funding a replacement when necessary.
  As a Member of Congress with over 70 miles of coastline in my 
district, I feel it is my responsibility to ask NOAA how we got to this 
point where a valuable satellite is on its last legs, and why our 
taxpayers are footing the bill for a PR campaign when hurricanes remain 
a daily threat to Florida and the entire region. I join in the 
celebration of NOAA's accomplishments for the last 200 years, but I 
urge them to be responsible with resources so that they can be 
effective for the next 200 years and beyond.

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