The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA): FY2007 Appropriations and FY2008 Budget

Publication Date: March 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

Author(s):

Research Area: Environment

Type:

Abstract:

For the rest of FY2007, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Department of Commerce is operating under a continuing resolution, P.L. 110-5 that, for the most part, funds the agency at FY2006 appropriation levels. The President has requested a total of $3.8 billion in discretionary appropriations for NOAA for FY2008. The Secretary of Commerce announced additional funding in the FY2008 budget for NOAA of $123 million that would support the President's 2004 Ocean Action Plan (OAP), and increase funding for ocean research and sustainable fisheries management. Ocean advocates argue that the funding is not enough, however. NOAA is poised to have all of its programs and activities authorized under a single law, but Congress differs about Administration-proposed authorities. For FY2008, NOAA would prioritize funding and scheduling of its satellite programs to ensure critical continuous meteorological and environmental observations and data acquisition.

The mission of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is "[t]o understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment and conserve and manage coastal and marine resources to meet the nation's economic, social, and environmental needs."1 In terms of funding, NOAA is the largest agency of the Department of Commerce (DOC) and, for FY2008, accounts for about 58% of DOC's discretionary budget request of $6.33 billion. NOAA's FY2008 budget would be funded under Title II of the Commerce, Justice, Science Appropriations Act (hereafter, CJS Approps.).