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stimulate rapid and creative conservation activities that simply 

 would not be possible through the regular Federal appropriations 

 process. 



On behalf of the Administration, I commend you and your staff for 

 your efforts on your draft bill. We endorse its provisions 

 generally. Specifically, we endorse the increase in the size of 

 the Board of Directors from 9 to 15 members, and we will be 

 considering the addition of a State fish and wildlife agency 

 director among the new appointees in order to enhance coordination 

 and communications with the States. 



In recognition of the responsibilities of the National Marine 

 Fisheries Service, as well as the work the Foundation is already 

 undertaking with our colleagues at the Department of Commerce, the 

 Administration supports the inclusion of the National Oceanic and 

 Atmospheric Administration in section 2(b) of the Foundation's 

 organic act. 



With respect to the funding authority, we note that over the past 

 several years appropriations requested and received have been at 

 the level of $5 million. For Fiscal Year 1994, a budget amendment 

 submitted to fund the National Biological Survey also included a 

 request for an additional $2.5 million for the Foundation, totaling 

 $7.5 million for FY94 . We believe Foundation appropriations are 

 very cost effective because of the matching provisions that help 



