Date: Wed, 06 Dec 1995 11:38:57 -0500 (EST)
From: Hank Frey <HFrey@rdc.noaa.gov>
Subject: re: Final DESSC agenda for Saturday
To: perf@nervm.nerdc.ufl.edu
Cc: GeneSmith@rdc.noaa.gov
Mike,
I am very sorry that I had to cancel my trip to San Fransico and the DESSC meeting in order to respond quickly to issues related to NURP's sharply reduced appropriation of $12 million. If you wish, you may read the message below to the attendees:
"I am very sorry that I am unable to attend the DESSC meetings tonight and tomorrow. I had looked forward to doing so. Events are happening in rapid succession here in response to the outlook for FY 1996 funding, the short time we have to respond to such a deep cut, and intensive activity to award grants to the Centers. I need to be in Silver Spring to work closely with OAR and NOAA management on these issues. The situation as of Wednesday, December 6th was (1) the NURP appropriation of $12 million has been reported out of conference but not voted upon, (2) the President may veto the bill to which the NURP funding is attached because it would deny the administration the 100,000 police officers it sought in the Department of Justice appropriation (Commerce, State, and Justice are lumped together), and (3) the conference language requires NOAA to fund the Centers at $1,560K and to distribute the "excess" to the three Centers that suffered cuts during the FY 1995 rescission. The FY 1994 and FY 1995 appropriations were $18.1 and $18.0 million, respectively. A $3.5 million rescission occured in FY 1995, reducing NURP to $14.5 million. The FY 1996 appropriation is down by one-third from the FY 1994 and FY 1995 (pre-rescission) appropriation. Nevertheless, we will do everything possible to preserve funds to support ALVIN. We may, however, have to do so at a somewhat reduced level. I think that it will take weeks for decisions to be made and ratified. I will keep Mike Prefit, Don Heinrichs, and Dolly Dieter informed as decisions are made at NOAA on allocating the sharply reduced FY 1996 funds. Best regards from Gene Smith and me."