USGS Home
Contact USGS
Search USGS

Highlights of Congressional Action

Summary of Conference Action

The USGS is funded under the FY 2000 Interior and Related Appropriations Act, which is part of a consolidated bill (H.R. 3194/P.L. 106-113). The Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations Act, FY 2000, H.R. 3423 fully describes the appropriations and legislation outcomes of the FY 2000 Act. The appropriation funds USGS at $819,883,000, which includes an across the board conference reduction (H.R. 3425) of $3,950,000. The total funding level is $22,642,000 over FY 1999 actual level and $18,602,000 below the FY 2000 President's Budget Request.

The bill fully funds USGS' uncontrollable cost increases and supports the requested increase of $2.5 million to expand satellite data archive capability at the EROS Data Center. The bill provides $2.5 million of the $5.6 million requested increase for amphibian research and monitoring. The bill includes $4.85 million of the requested $5.45 million for Real-Time Hazards Warnings. The bill reflects an addition of $400,000 for landslides as part of the Real-Time Hazards Warnings and reduces the streamgaging component by $1.0 million.

The bill does not provide funding for Community/Federal Information Partnership or the Disaster Information Network. The bill does not fund the requested increases for research on coral reefs, DOI Science Priorities initiative to fulfill the science needs of the land management bureaus, or Place-based Studies.

The bill includes decreases of $6.6 million in grant funding to the University of Alaska for marine research in the Bering Sea and north Pacific and $729,000 for technological efficiencies in the National Mapping Program.

While rejecting the creation of a new programmatic budget activity, Integrated Science, the conferees did support the budget restructure for Science Support and Facilities.

The bill also adds funding for the following activities: $500,000 for the Great Lakes mapping coalition project; $100,000 for hyperspectral remote sensing in Yellowstone Park; $500,000 to repair the USGS Great Lakes research vessel; $180,000 to conduct a study on the Yukon River Chum salmon; $500,000 for ground water studies on Molokai; $200,000 for a hydrologic study of Noyes Slough; $140,000 for a ground water study in Southern Maryland; $500,000 for a pilot project using the Light Distance and Ranging (LIDAR) technology to assist with salmon issues; $250,000 for repairs to the Leetown Science Center; $500,000 for facility repairs at Wellsboro Research Lab; and, $500,000 for the Cooperative Research Unit program to fill as many personnel vacancies as possible.

Summary of Senate Action

The Senate Interior Appropriations Full Committee marked up its version of the fiscal year 2000President's Budget request on June 24, 1999 (S.1292, Sen Rpt 106-99). The Senate action funded USGS at $813.2 million, a decrease of $25.3 million from the FY 2000 President's Budget ($838.5 million) and an increase of $14.3 million over the FY 1999 enacted level ($798.9 million). The increase is largely attributable to increased uncontrollable (e.g. salary, personnel) costs.

The Senate did not approve the request related to any of the three areas of proposed budget restructuring (Integrated Science, Science Support, and Facilities). The Senate provided no funding for the Community/Federal Information Partnership Initiative, the Disaster Information Network, Research and Monitoring for Amphibians, or the Coral Reef Initiative. The mark provided $1.2 million of the $5.45 million requested for Real-Time Hazards. The $2.5 million requested for satellite data archiving was fully funded. The Senate fully restored funding of proposed decreases in Mineral Resources, Coastal and Marine Geology, Federal State Cooperative Program, Toxics, and Biological Research and Monitoring. Funding was provided for monitoring work at hazardous volcanoes in Hawaii and Alaska ($1.0 million), Truckee Carson ($0.250 million), Noyes Slough ($0.2 million), Yukon River chum salmon ecologyresearch ($0.18 million), repairs at Leetown ($0.5 million), and for retrofitting the Great Lakes vessel ($0.5 million). Earmarked base funding includes: $0.2 million for geologic and lava flow hazard maps of Mauna Loa and $1.25 million for continuation of the joint USGS/South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium South Carolina/Georgia Coastal Erosion Study.

Summary of House Action

The House Interior Appropriations Full Committee marked up its version of the FY 2000 President's Budget request on July 1, 1999 (H.R. 2466, House Rpt 106-222) and passed the FY 2000 Interior and Related Agencies Appropriations bill on July 14 by a vote of 377 to 47. The USGS is funded at $816.5 million, a decrease of $22.0 million from the FY 2000 President's Budget ($838.5 million) and an increase of $17.6 million over the FY 1999 enacted level ($798.9 million).

The House concurred with the USGS' request to established a new "Science Support" and "Facilities" budget activity but did not approve the new "Integrated Science" (DOI Science Priorities and Place-based Studies) budget activity. The House fully funded uncontrollable cost increases and the $2.5 million request for satellite data archiving. The House provided $4.95 of the $5.45 million requested for Real-Time Hazards and provided an additional $0.5 million for Landslides. The House funded $3.0 million of the requested $5.6 million for Amphibian Research. The mark provided no funding for the Community/Federal Information Partnership Initiative, the Disaster Information Network, or the Coral Reef Initiative. The House fully restored funding of proposed decreases in Mapping Data Collection and Integration, Mineral Resources, Coastal and Marine Geology, Energy Resources, Federal State Cooperative Program, Toxics, and Biological Research and Monitoring. Funding was provided for hyperspectral remote sensing ($0.1 million), LIDAR Technology on Salmon issues ($0.5 million), Wellsboro Research Lab Repairs ($0.5 million), and Cooperative Research Unit vacancies ($1.0 million).

Office of Budget, Planning, and Integration Home Page || Performance Management || Budget by Fiscal Year || Budget Funding Tables || Resources and Tools || Related Web Sites || About Us || Site Map