ities in fisheries, ocean services, weather, and satellite services. 

 Without these funds, NOAA's ability to address natural and living 

 marine resource issues will be severely reduced. 



Our fiscal year 1994 request includes an increase of $20.3 million 

 for weather service operations funding in 1994 to maintain the cur- 

 rent level of weather services to the public as required by Public 

 Law 102-567, which addresses weather service modernization. 



The fiscal year 1994 request of $224 million for the National Ma- 

 rine Fisheries Services provides increased funding of $11.9 million 

 needed to maintain essential ongoing operations of the National 

 Marine Fisheries Service. This funding is necessary to avoid signifi- 

 cant downsizing which would result in staff reductions and the clo- 

 sure of some of the fisheries facilities. The consequence of 

 downsizing would impact every geographic region and the manage- 

 ment of most major fisheries. 



Program increases of $3.5 million in the fiscal year 1994 budget 

 request of $149 million are essential for maintaining current oper- 

 ations and staffing for the National Ocean Service. 



Increased funding totaling $7.7 million in the Oceanic and At- 

 mospheric Research request of $214 million would be used to main- 

 tain ongoing activities in several areas. Included in the research re- 

 quest is an increase of $2.1 million for activities of the Regional 

 Marine Research Program. 



Our fiscal year 1994 request includes an increase of $23 million 

 for NOAA's Climate and Global Change Program to continue high- 

 priority research programs supported in fiscal year 1993 with mon- 

 eys appropriated to the Department of State and subsequently 

 transferred to NOAA. An increase in funding would also allow 

 NOAA to begin implementing U.S. support for the International 

 Research Institute for Climate Prediction, a commitment the Unit- 

 ed States made at the United Nations Conference on Environment 

 and Development held in June 1992 in Rio. The fiscal year 1994 

 request also includes $2.6 million for the FCCSET program in 

 high-performance computing and communications. 



As part of the President's commitment to cutting the cost of the 

 Federal Government and the size of the workforce, NOAA will 

 achieve administrative savings of $25.6 million in fiscal year 1994. 

 In order for NOAA to deliver more focused service, the fiscal year 

 1994 budget includes $66.9 million in program decreases for pro- 

 grams that benefit only small groups, are not NOAA's statutory re- 

 sponsibility, are one-time expenditures whose purpose has been 

 achieved, are lower priority activities, or are construction projects 

 that no longer require funding. 



This is our package for fiscal year 1994. It reflects our prelimi- 

 nary effort to reevaluate the agency's mission and priorities. In 

 pursuit of President Clinton's goals of a sound economy and exem- 

 plary service, and in recognition of the increasing importance of 

 science in policy deliberations, we at NOAA are developing a stra- 

 tegic plan which focuses on NOAA's stewardship responsibilities 

 and NOAA's environmental assessment and prediction capabilities. 

 I believe that NOAA is capable of providing improved information 

 which will strengthen the scientific foundation upon which our sis- 

 ter Department of Commerce agencies, as well as other Federal 

 agencies, can base critical economic and environmental decisions. 



