Impact of the Elections David Applegate American Geological Institute National Research Council Committee on Earth Resources November 2002

Senate Environment & Public Works Cmte The Big Change New Chair: Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) Old Chair: Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-VT)

FY 2003 Appropriations $$ $$ Details at

Presidentially Requested Transfers: The Two-Sided Problem Programs to NSF –NOAA Sea Grant ($57 million) –USGS Toxic Substance Hydrology ($10 million) –EPA Environmental Education ($9 million) NSF Geosciences Directorate w/o Transfers –As a whole ( +1.2% NOT +13.4%) –Earth Sciences Division ( +3.6% NOT +21.2%) –Ocean Sciences Division ( -2% NOT +13.5%) –Atmospheric Sciences Division ( +4% NOT +8.4%) Both House and Senate Reject Transfers, Boost GEO Base Programs by 15% (House) and 12% (Senate)

President’s FY 2003 budget request: $35 million Senate Appropriations Committee: $20 million House Appropriations Committee: $40 million First installment of 5-year, $200 million program EarthScope Poised to become first- ever Earth science project funded through the NSF’s Major Research Equipment account.

Geoscience-Related Programs in the President’s FY 2003 Request U.S. Geological Survey ($867.3 million, down 5%) –Geologic Division down 3.5% Cut to Geologic Mapping (-$6 million) –Water Resources Division down 14% Cut/Transfer Toxic Substances Hydrology (-$14 million) and Water Resource Research Institutes (-$6 million) Cuts to NAWQA (-$6 million), Streamgage Network (-$2 million) –National Mapping Division down 3% –Biological Resources Division down 3.5% NASA Office of Earth Science ($1.6 billion, up 0.2%) NOAA down 1.5% The good news: Congress put it back The bad news: FY 2004 could be worse

House Appropriations Committee “House Republicans voted Thursday to grant the GOP Steering Committee the right to veto the selection of the powerful "cardinals" who rule the Appropriations Committee's 13 subcommittees, giving the Republican leadership and the White House a leg up in controlling domestic spending heading into next year's FY '04 budget process. “The vote effectively means the House GOP leadership, led by Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas), will be able to determine who fills the coveted cardinal slots, turning aside the Appropriations Committee chairman's traditional right to appoint the cardinals without oversight.” E&E Daily, Open slots: Interior & Related Agencies Energy & Water

“Stevens has had some well-publicized clashes with the director of the Office of Management and Budget, with Stevens at one time saying that Director Mitchell Daniels could best defuse a spending conflict by going home to Indiana.” AIP FYI Senate Appropriations Committee New Chair: Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) Old Chair: Sen. Robert C. Byrd (D-WV)

Energy and the Earth Sciences Hydropower Fossil Fuels Geothermal Nuclear

Senate Energy & Natural Resources Cmte New Mexico New Chair: Sen. Pete Domenici (R-NM) Old Chair: Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-NM)

Electricity deregulation –Renewable portfolio standards Climate Ethanol ANWR Taxes 3 Options… Comprehensive Energy Bill – Issues in Play

Geoscience & National Security

Proposed Department of Homeland Security –Would swallow all or part of 22 federal agencies –170,000 employees, $35-42 billion budget –Emergency Preparedness & Response Directorate FEMA and other preparedness offices –Science & Technology Directorate Identify R&D needs, coordinate research, advise Secretary National Construction Safety Team Act of 2002 –Response to WTC investigation –NTSB approach; applies to all building disasters –Blueprint for all-hazards approach Homeland Security – Geoscience Role?

Senator Akaka of Hawaii Senator Boxer of California Senator Breaux of Louisiana Senator Byrd of West Virginia Senator Cantwell of Washington Senator Cleland of Georgia Senator Cochran of Mississippi Senator Conrad of North Dakota Senator Dorgan of North Dakota Senator Feinstein of California Senator Graham of Florida Senator Inouye of Hawaii Senator Murkowski of Alaska Senator Schumer of New York Senator Torricelli of New Jersey Senator Wyden of Oregon Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) Co-Chairs

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