Order Code RS22109
Updated July 13, 2005
CRS Report for Congress
Received through the CRS Web
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) Budget for FY2006:
President’s Request, Congressional
Appropriations, and Related Issues
Wayne A. Morrissey
Information Research Specialist (Science and Technology)
Knowledge Services Group
Summary
This report tracks congressional appropriations action on the President’s FY2006
funding request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
In addition, it discusses issues of possible congressional concern bearing on NOAA
appropriations for FY2006, such as the U.S. Oceans Commission’s and the President’s
Action Plan making recommendations for an oceans science initiative for NOAA;
FY2005 emergency supplemental funding for the National Weather Service to upgrade
U.S. tsunami warning systems; and the Administration’s and Congress’s proposals for
a NOAA organic act (H.R. 50). This report will be updated as warranted.
Agency Funding
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s mission statement is to
understand and predict changes in Earth’s environment and conserve and manage coastal
and marine resources to meet our nation’s economic, social, and environmental needs.
In terms of funding, NOAA is the largest agency of the Department of Commerce (DOC),
representing about 64% of DOC’s budget request of $5.7 billion for FY2006 (excluding
$3.7 billion for the President’s “Economic Development Challenge”). On February 6,
2005, President Bush recommended $3.58 billion for NOAA. On June 16, 2005, the
House passed H.R. 2862 (amended), providing $3.38 billion, a $50 million reduction
from House Appropriations Committee recommendations. On June 23, 2005, the Senate
Appropriations Committee recommended $4.47 billion for NOAA.
Table 1, below, shows the NOAA budget organized by (1) the Operations,
Research, and Facilities (ORF) account, which funds five line offices, the Office of Policy
and Planning Integration, and Program Support; (2) the Procurement, Acquisition, and
Construction (PAC) account, used for multi-year, capital-intensive outlays; and (3) Other
Accounts, including amounts earmarked for NOAA Fisheries operations, the Promote and
Develop American Fisheries Fund (PDAFF), the Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund
Congressional Research Service { The Library of Congress

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CRS-2
(PCSRF), and fees collected and transferred to ORF from the Coastal Zone Management
Fund (CZMF). A “Key to NOAA Acronyms” is found below Table 1.
Table 1. The President’s Budget Requests for NOAA for
FY2006, and FY2005-FY2006 Appropriations Actions
($ millions)
NOAA Accounts
P.L. 108-
FY2006
H.R.
CRS
S.Rept.
CRS v.
447a
Req.b
2862c
(est.)
109-88d
S.Rpt.e
1. NOS
672.3
408.7
394.2
709.9
728.6
(18.7)
ORF
544.4
394.2
382.2
591.8
610.5
—
PAC
127.9
14.5
12.0
118.1
118.1
—
2. NMFS
700.0
627.5
562.6
762.4
770.3
(7.9)
ORF
668.8
625.5
556.6
745.9
763.8
—
PAC
31.2
2.0
6.0
16.5
16.5
—
3. OAR
415.4
372.2
335.8
469.6
480.7
(11.1)
ORF
406.0
361.7
326.3
459.0
470.1
—
PAC
9.4
10.5
9.5
10.6
10.6
—
4. NWS
778.7
839.2
855.9
843.7
863.3
(19.6)
ORF
699.1
744.8
759.1
753.2
772.8
—
PACf
79.6
94.4
96.8
90.5
90.5
—
5. NESDIS
912.9
963.9
971.2
991.1
1,000.1
(9.0)
ORF
176.9
154.0
158.3
171.4
180.4
—
PAC
736.0
809.9
812.9
819.7
819.7
—
OPPI
2.5
2.0
0.0 0.0
0.0
0.0
Program Support
407.2
377.7
363.2
505.0
520.9
(15.9)
ORF
345.4
342.0
360.4
386.6
402.5
—
PAC
61.8
35.7
2.8
118.4
118.4
—
CSg
171.0
199.4
189.0
195.9
—
—
ORF
170.0
199.4
189.0
195.9
—
—
PAC
1.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
—
—
ED
Pgmsh
14.4
0.0
28.9
36.2
—
—
OMAO
188.2
120.5
123.2
194.9
—
—
Marine O&M
108.9
99.8
101.8
113.8
—
—
Aviation Ops.
18.5
18.6
18.6
18.6
—
—
Fleet Replace/Acq.
60.8
35.7
2.8
62.5
—
—
FACi
33.0
22.1
22.1
54.1
—
—
Maint./Enviro.
33.0
22.1
22.1
22.1
—
—
Construction
—
—
—
32.0
—
—
IOOSj
—
—
—
24.0
—
—
deobligs./transfersjk
(64.5)
(93.0)
(95.9)
(59.0)
(59.0)
—
Total ORF
2,784.6
2,531.1
2,447.0
3,048.9
3,202.3
(153.4)
Total PACk
1,044.6
965.1
936.0
1,173.8
1,195.0
(21.2)
Other Discretionary
78.9
85.0
46.0
87.3
78.0
9.3
PCSRF
89.3
90.0
50.0
90.0
90.0
—
Fisheries Finance
(7.4)
(2.0)
(1.0)
(0.3)
(9.3)
9.0
CZMA
(2.9)
(3.0)
(3.0)
(3.0)
(3.0)
—

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NOAA Accounts
P.L. 108-
FY2006
H.R.
CRS
S.Rept.
CRS v.
447a
Req.b
2862c
(est.)
109-88d
S.Rpt.e
Grand Total NOAA
$3,907.9
$3,581.3
$3,379.1
$4,307.0
$4,476.0
(169.0)
Source: Compiled by CRS from sources noted below.
Key to NOAA Acronyms: NOS-National Ocean Service; NMFS-NOAA Fisheries; OAR-NOAA
Research; NWS-National Weather Service; and NESDIS-NOAA Satellites. NOAA-Wide Program Support:
CS-Corporate Services; OPPI-Office of Planning and Program Integration; ED-Education Pgms.; OMAO-
Office of Marine and Aviation Operations; IOOS-International Ocean Observing System; and FAC-NOAA
Facilities. Program Support subactivities are shown for funding detail only and not added in appropriations.
Table notes:
a. Funding figures for P.L. 108-447, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2005 (H.Rept. 108-792),
Congressional Record, Nov. 19, 2004: H10448-10465. Figures in Table 1 are adjusted for an 0.80%
across-the-board rescission.
b.,c. NOAA funding requested for FY2006 and House Appropriations Committee recommendations
reported in SSJC Appropriations, 2006 (H.Rept. 109-118, Jun. 10, 2005).
d. Senate Appropriations Committee recommendations reported in Commerce, Justice, Science
Appropriations, 2006 (S.Rept. 109-88).
e. This column shows differences between total recommended figures in S.Rept. 109-88 and a CRS tally
of Senate Appropriations Committee funding tables.
f. FAC maintenance funding was consolidated in the ORF Facilities account in FY2005 appropriations,
including maintenance funding previously allocated directly to the NWS line office.
g. Funding for Corporate Services (CS) includes the Offices of the Under Secretary for Commerce for
Oceans and Atmosphere (USAO) and the division of Policy Formulation and Development (PFD),
For FY2006, the House and the Senate Appropriation Committee consolidated OPPI under USAO.
h. In FY2005, NOAA was directed to consolidate all of its educational programs as a subactivity under CS.
The President, House, and Senate Appropriations Committee continue that practice for FY2006.
i. In FY2006, the House and the Senate Appropriations Committee fund WFO maintenance under NWS.
j. A new PAC Program Support subactivity for FY2006 (S.Rept. 109-88). This line reflects a portion of
an agency-wide recommendations of $109.7 million to establishing an integrated Coastal & Ocean
Observation System.
k. ORF totals exclude other spending authority such as deobligations (previous fiscal year budget savings),
mandatory transfer of funding provided by other federal agencies, e.g., for PDAFF, and use of fees
collected for services, all of which are subtracted here.
l. NOAA received emergency supplemental appropriations of $20.7 million in Military Construction
Appropriations, FY2005 (P.L. 108-324). Funding included $16,900,000, for reseeding, rehabilitation
and restoration of oyster reefs in AL, FL, LA, and MS, and $3,800,000 for construction through
FY2006. NOAA also received a total of $17.3 million in P.L. 109-13, Emergency Supplemental
Appropriations, 2005, to upgrade U.S. tsunami early warning system capabilities and fund the
National Tsunami Mitigation Program. These amounts are not included in the P.L. 108-447 totals.
Strategic Goals. Since FY2003 NOAA has organized its mission around five
agency-wide strategic goals: (1) Ecosystems, (2) Climate, (3) Weather & Water, (4)
Commerce and Transportation, and (5) Mission Support. NOAA funding allocated by
each goal may be found at [http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/matrix.htm], visited July 12, 2005.
President’s Budget. On February 7, 2005, NOAA’s Administrator, Admiral
Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Jr., stated that although few discretionary funding increases
were proposed for non-defense-related agencies for FY2006, $200 million in new funding
was requested for NOAA by the President (compared with the FY2005 request of $3.4
billion). The President’s request for FY2006 ($3.58 billion) is $327 million, or 8.4%, less
than FY2005 appropriations of $3.91 billion, and $208 million, or 6.2%, more than the
FY2005 request of $3.37 billion. It includes $2.53 billion for ORF; $965.1 million for
PAC; and a net sum of $85.0 million for NOAA’s Other Accounts.

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The NOAA FY2006 Budget Summary (February 7, 2005) featured 122 programs
terminations totaling $427 million, which the President identified as “unauthorized
congressional earmarks.” Some of these were one-year appropriations and some were
construction projects completed in FY2005, however. Any increases above FY2005
appropriations levels (adjusted by -0.8%) mentioned by NOAA’s Administrator would
be offset in part by program terminations. The following shows notable differences
between the FY2006 request and FY2005 appropriation levels, and is ranked in any order.
! NWS: A $21 million increase for weather service forecasts and severe
weather warnings. A $15 million increase for NWS systems acquisition
and weather forecast office construction. (Operations funding would
increase by $6 million to strengthen the U.S. tsunami network.)1 An
increase of $3 million was requested for NEXRAD weather radar
operations and maintenance. NWS cuts total $13.5 million, including
$10.9 million in program terminations.
! NESDIS: NOAA Satellite program funding would increase by $67
million to procure next generation satellite hardware, upgrade satellite
data and information systems, and improve quality of NESDIS data
products, e.g., satellite imagery. Funding for NOAA polar orbiting
satellites would be decreased by $33.3 million and geostationary satellite-
programs by $30.2 million. Program terminations total $12.4 million.
! NOS: The National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science are combined
under a single funding line and overall funding reduced by $10 million;
marine mapping/charting activities (hydrographic surveys) funding would
increased by $15 million; NOS funding would be cut by $180 million, of
which $116.7 million are program terminations.
! NMFS: Funding for a “streamline fishery regulations initiative” would
increase by $5 million; fish stock inventory data and related social
sciences programs increase by $10 million; and enforcement/observer
training increases by $8 million. NMFS cuts total $125 million, of which
$36.2 million are program terminations.
! OAR: NOAA Research climate change funding would increase by $11
million; climate services research, observations, data, and information
products funding combined increases by $6 million; ecosystem research
funding increases by $4 million. OAR cuts total $70 million, including
$55.0 million in program terminations.
! Program Support: Proposals include an increase of $10 million for
NOAA’s Business Management Fund; of $5 million for NOAA’s cost
share for DOC’s Commerce Business System; and of $6 million for the
Chief Information Officer security upgrades. Facilities maintenance
funding of $7 million is transferred to NWS. Program Support funding
cuts total $54 million, $27.8 million of which are program terminations.
1 The amount is requested as regular FY2006 NOAA appropriations. President Bush also sought
emergency funding in response to the December 26, 2004, tsunami disasters in the Indian Ocean.
See Request for FY2005 Budget Amendments, Communication from the President of the United
States, H.Doc. 109-9, Feb. 15, 2005 (Washington, DC: GPO, 2005). See also CRS Report
RL32739, Tsunamis: Monitoring, Detection, and Early Warning Systems, by Wayne Morrissey.

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! NOAA PAC: An increase of $2 million is requested for NOS Marine
Sanctuaries construction, and an increase of $12 million for OAR climate
supercomputer systems acquisition. A one-time request of $34 million
is for OMAO is to procure a fourth new fishery research vessel, and
complete construction or refurbish others.
! Other Accounts: The NMFS Fisheries Finance Program would be funded
at $60,000, a decrease of $1 million from FY2005 levels. The PDAFF
transfer decreases by $12 million. Funding for the PCSRF increases by
$1.2 million. PAC terminations total $168 million; ORF terminations
total $259 million; none were proposed for NOAA’s Other Accounts.
On March 2, 2005, NOAA held a “Stakeholder Forum” in Washington, D.C.
Various constituencies of the agency responded to the Administration’s proposed funding
cuts and terminations for FY2006. A majority of participants concurred that these
funding cuts and program terminations would pose difficult challenges for NOAA
research programs and operational activities agency-wide. Congress is debating the
President’s funding request and possible impacts on the agency.
House Appropriations. On June 16, 2005, the House passed H.R. 2862
(amended), the Science, State, Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations
Act, 2006 (hereafter, SSJC Appropriations), and provided $3.38 billion for NOAA. (See
Table 1, above.) The House Appropriations Committee had recommended a total of
$3.43 billion (H.Rept. 109-118, June 10, 2005). On June 14, 2005, the House approved
H.Amdt. 260 to H.R. 2862 sponsored by Representative Dreier, which reduced ORF
appropriations by $50 million.2 The appropriation is $200 million, or 5.9%, less than the
President’s request, and about $530 million, or 15.7%, below the FY2005 appropriation
of $3.91 billion (after an agency-wide rescission of 0.8% enacted in P.L. 108-447). The
committee recommended $2.44 billion for ORF; $936.0 million for PAC; and a net of $46
million for Other Accounts. A negative balance in the fisheries financing account, in
effect, reduced the $50 million recommended for the PCSRF by $4 million. Additional
spending authority for ORF included $77 million from the interagency PDAFF; $3
million from CZMF collections; and $19 million derived from FY2005 deobligations.
Senate Appropriations Committee Recommendations. On June 23, 2005,
the Senate Appropriations Committee recommended $4.5 billion for NOAA (S.Rept. 109-
88). This amount is almost $919 million, or 32%, more than House appropriations for
FY2006; $895 million, or 26%, more than the FY2006 request; and $550 million, or 15%,
more than the FY2005 appropriation. The committee recommended that $666.2 million
of the total be allocated agency-wide to implement recommendations for NOAA in the
U.S. Oceans Commission report, and an increase of $142 million for programs involved.3
2 In floor debate, Rep. Mollohan reported that the reduction in ORF funding would be applied as
follows: NOS — $8 million, NMFS — $12 million, OAR — $7 million, NWS — $14.9 million,
NESDIS — $3 million; and Program Support — $5 million. Congressional Record, Jun. 14,
2005: H4464-H4465.
3 Table 1 shows notable differences in funding recommendations reported in budget comparison
tables in S.Rept. 109-88, p. 131, and Senate Appropriations Committee tables on pp. 66-84.

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A NOAA Organic Act. Legislation has been introduced in the 109th Congress to
create an organic act for NOAA. An organic act provides for funding authorization of
all of an agency’s programs and operations under a single law. Currently, NOAA is
funded by several legal authorities as reported in its annual budget justification. Various
constituencies of NOAA have called for establishing an organic act since 1970, when
President Nixon’s Reorganization Plan No. 4 created NOAA in the Department of
Commerce, merging programs and budget authorities from many different federal
agencies. NOAA was last authorized as “an agency” on October 29, 1992, when
President Clinton signed the NOAA Authorization Act, 1992. P.L. 102-567 funded about
four-fifths of NOAA programs under jurisdiction of congressional science committees.
The September 2004 U.S. Oceans Commission report recommended that NOAA lead a
coordinated national effort on oceanic research and exploration. President Bush’s Ocean
Action Report called on Congress to implement some of them.4
H.R. 50 (Ehlers). On January 4, 2005, Representatives Ehlers of the House
Committee on Science, and Representative Gilchrest of the House Committee on
Resources, jointly introduced H.R. 50, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Act, 2005.5
The bill provides administrative, organizational, and budgetary direction for NOAA in
implementing OPC recommendations for the agency. H.R. 50 would retain NOAA within
the DOC and create a deputy director position to implement the act. It also would codify
the NOAA Science Advisory Board and appoint a science deputy. Section 14 of the bill
requires NOAA’s Administrator to follow congressional guidelines prior to any facility
closure. H.R. 50 was marked up on March 15, 2005, and reported favorably to the House
Science Committee. President Bush submitted an organic act bill to Congress on April
6, 2005. On May 17, 2005, the bill was ordered reported by the full Science Committee
as a manager’s amendment in the nature of a substitute bill.6 Section 16, added, would
require NOAA to notify Congress about changes in status and schedules of its satellite
programs.
S. 2214 (Boxer). Dedicated to retired Senator Hollings, the National Ocean’s
Protection Act of 2005 would establish NOAA as an independent agency and confer all
former NOAA-related authorities of the Secretary of Commerce to the Administrator of
NOAA. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Science Commerce and
Transportation on June 9, 2005.
4 For more information on OPC recommendations and the Ocean Action Report, see CRS Issue
Brief IB10132, Ocean Commissions: Ocean Policy Review and Outlook, by Eugene H. Buck.
5 H.R. 50 was a reintroduction of Title I of H.R. 4546 in the 108th Congress. See U.S. Congress,
House Committee on Science, Compilation of Markups in the 108th Cong, 1st and 2nd Sessions,
serial no. 108-69 (Washington, DC: GPO, Dec. 31, 2004), pp. 465-563.
6 Sec. 13(d) defines a facility as a “laboratory, operations office, administrative service center,
or other establishment of the Administration with an annual budget of $1 million or greater.”

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