About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

1 1 (April 22, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govzka0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service April 22, 2019 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): FY2020 Budget Request and Appropriations The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA's) mission is to understand and predict changes in weather, climate, oceans, and coasts; to share that information with others; and to conserve and manage coastal and marine ecosystems and resources. NOAA's work is divided among six line offices: National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS); National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); National Ocean Service (NOS); National Weather Service (NWS); Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR); and Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO). NOAA also has an overall Mission Support office, which provides planning, administrative, financial, information technology, and other services to NOAA's line offices. Congress generally funds NOAA, an agency of the Department of Commerce (DOC), in the annual Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies appropriations law. Congress provides NOAA with discretionary and mandatory appropriations. Discretionary appropriations support two broad accounts-operations, research, and facilities (ORF) and procurement, acquisition, and construction (PAC)-as well as through several relatively small accounts. In addition, mandatory appropriations generally provide a small percentage of total NOAA appropriations and are disbursed to a variety of funds that support programs in NOS, NMFS, and OMAO. This CRS product examines ORF and PAC funding for FY2020 and potential issues for Congress, such as NOAA's proposed program changes, the agency's requested changes to the Promote and Develop American Fishery Products & Research Pertaining to American Fisheries Fund, future satellite funding, and the agency's role in space commerce. History of Funding The Administration requested a total of $4.66 billion in discretionary direct obligations for ORF and PAC for FY2020, including $4.46 billion in appropriations. Direct obligations include appropriations, transfers from NOAA funds, and recoveries of canceled prior-year obligations. In the FY2019 omnibus (P.L. 116-6), Congress provided $5.54 billion in direct obligations for ORF and PAC, of which $5.35 billion was in new appropriations. The FY2020-requested amount of direct obligations is nearly 13% below the enacted FY2019 direct obligations levels. Enacted direct obligations and appropriations for NOAA ORF and PAC have generally increased from FY2009, and peaked in FY2018 (P.L. 116-6). Since FY2009, the PAC account has ranged from about 25% to 41% of the total direct obligations. Figure I. NOAA Requested and Enacted Direct Obligations, FY2009-FY2020 (nominal $ in billions) $7.0 - - - - - - - - ___ _ $6.0 _____ 5.0 FY2009 FY2010 FY2011 FY2012 FY2013 FY2014 FY2015 FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 FY2020 N NOAA Requested Direct Obligations a Congress Enacted Direct Obligations Source: Congressional Research Service, from NOAA budget justifications and congressional explanatory statements. Note: Amounts do not include supplemental appropriations, rescissions, or sequestration. Issues for Congress According to NOAA's FY2020 Bluebook, the FY2020 budget supports NOAA's priorities: (1) reduce the impacts of extreme weather and water events, (2) maximize the economic contributions of ocean and coastal resources, and (3) space innovation. Proposed Program Changes For FY2020, the Administration proposed increases to 22 subactivities totaling over $80 million, including a requested increase of $18.5 million in subactivity grants, subsidies, and contributions (GSC) between the FY2020 base level and the FY2020 budget request (Table 1). GSC, according to NOAA, includes grants awarded to nonfederal entities, such as states, universities, and the private sector under GSC. The FY2020 budget request also proposed the reduction or elimination of 96 subactivities and additional undescribed decreases totaling over $1 billion (Table 1). Of the total, more than $490.4 million in GSC is proposed to be reduced or eliminated compared to the FY2020 base level. Activities proposed for termination include NMFS Interjurisdictional Fisheries grants, NOS Coastal Zone Management grants, OAR's National Sea Grant College Program, and the Educational Partnership Program for Minority Serving Institutions program under Mission Support. The remaining amount is composed of planned decreases to three satellite programs ($216.6 million) and proposed reductions and eliminations to advisory services, contracts with federal and nonfederal entities, personnel compensation and benefits, travel, and other program adjustments ($303.6 million) (Table 1). Similar changes were proposed in NOAA's FY2018 and FY2019 budget requests. https://crsreports.congress.go INFS

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most