22 



Let me put it this way: I would support anything that would re- 

 view the facilities. [Laughter.] 



I think it is a commission and is something that could review the 

 facilities. Quite frankly, I think it would be a positive thing. 



Mr. Smith. Did the Department of Agriculture support that as 

 part of the President's budget? 



Mr. Carlson. All I can say is that that was Bill Carlson speak- 

 ing. I don't know. 



Mr. Smith. Is there somebody inside the Department that is op- 

 posing it? Is that why we are not getting it funded? 



Mr. Carlson. I don't think the Department had a position on 

 that, as far as that is concerned. I can't answer your question. I 

 can find out and send it to you. 



Mr. Smith. I would like to know the Department's position on 

 the commission because if the Department doesn't want it, obvi- 

 ously it will not get funded. You are going to whisper in somebod^s 

 ear and that is the end of it. 



Mr. Carlson. I will get that for you. 



Mr. Smith. Thank you. 



Give me a percentage, if you can, of the facilities that are driven 

 by research that are supported by the Department's findings versus 

 those facilities that are driven by the political climate or by politics 

 or by direction of pohtics. I am trying to find out how valid our 

 yesiming for research is versus the pohtical situation here. 



Do you have any idea? 



Mr. Carlson. Are you referring to those that are driven by the 

 institution themselves through 



Mr. Smith. Exactly. 



Mr. Carlson. I suspect that most of the faciUties projects have 

 an origination at some institution. 



Did I answer your question? 



We have no way of knowing, but I would assume it. 



Mr. Smith. Do you determine in the Department the direction of 

 research and the need of the country? Do you prioritize the re- 

 search needs of the country? 



Mr. Carlson. We do in our Cooperative State Research Service. 



Mr. Smith. And then when you look at the facilities, you try to 

 match that with the need for research in a particular area, I as- 

 sume. 



Mr. Carlson. Our review committees, in essence, do that as it 

 relates to their specific research specialty. 



Mr. Smith. How many of the faciUties are directed outside your 

 priority research and needs through the political process? 



Mr. Carlson. I probably need to take a look and examine that. 

 I looked over just my own evaluation as far as those projects that 

 I feel are in the high priority areas, but would not include those 

 of local interest. We feel that there would probably be about 60 per- 

 cent. 



Mr. Smith. I am making the assumption that — as Mr. Brown 

 did — that all earmarks are not necessarily just for pohtical pur- 

 poses, which means that research need and the facility match up 

 in some. I am trying to find out how many earmarks are merely 

 identified for the purpose of a pohtical fulfiUment that don't match 

 up with the research priorities you have estabUshed. 



