Chairman Serrano Statement at Hearing on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration FY 2020 Budget Request

Congressman José E. Serrano (D-NY), Chair of the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee, delivered the following remarks at the Subcommittee's hearing on the fiscal year 2020 budget request for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration​:

The subcommittee shall come to order. 

Good morning. Welcome to our hearing on NOAA’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget request.

I would like to welcome back Dr. Neil Jacobs, who in his spare time, apart from testifying before our subcommittee, serves as NOAA’s Acting Administrator.

As Acting Administrator, Dr. Jacobs oversees the agency’s $5.4 billion budget, which includes NOAA’s sea, air, land, and space observing platforms, and the critical environmental data they provide. He also covers the wet-side of NOAA and all of its work in fisheries and coastal management.

Now, the Administration has requested $4.46 billion for NOAA for fiscal year 2020. The agency’s top three priorities include improving extreme weather prediction through the implementation of the Weather Act, expanding the blue economy, and further investments in space innovation. These are good steps, but remain vastly overshadowed by the devastating cuts President Trump has in store for NOAA.

The request represents an 18 percent decrease, or nearly a one billion dollar cut, from the 2019 enacted level. In terms of job cuts, this amounts to a reduction of 547 civilian positions within the agency, which is quite devastating. The massive cuts or outright elimination of vital environmental research remains wildly unrealistic and unworkable, just as they have for the past two fiscal years. 

This proposal severely cuts funding for ocean exploration and observations, species recovery programs, the Tsunami Warning Program, fisheries management programs, grants to our academic and non-profit research institutions that conduct research to further NOAA’s goals and mission, just to name a few. It once again proposes the complete elimination of funding for NOAA grant and education programs it deems as “lower priority,” including Sea Grant, Coastal Zone Management Grants, Pacific Coastal Salmon Recovery Fund, and Competitive Climate Research. These remain non-starters with the subcommittee.

I would like to remind the Administration that investment in critical research at our universities, protecting coastal habitats where one-half of the U.S. population resides, and the livelihoods of fishermen are not “low priority.” Not to this subcommittee. These grant programs employ thousands of scientists across the country and territories, protect local economies, and give us the tools to safeguard our communities against sea level rise and climate change. 

The investments we make today will prepare us for the challenges we face tomorrow. As our February hearing on NOAA climate research made very clear, we are starting to experience those challenges now. Therefore, I do not believe this budget, as presented to us today, allows NOAA to live up to its core mission, as the Administration would have us believe.

Dr. Jacobs, it is good to see you. Thank you for joining us to discuss NOAA’s priorities and outlook for Fiscal Year 2020.

At this time, I recognize my friend, the Ranking Member, Mr. Aderholt, for any opening remarks he may have.