John Culberson

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I rise in opposition to the amendment. We have, as I said earlier, scarce resources this year. We have to prioritize the very precious and scarce hard-earned taxpayers dollars that we are entrusted to look after, and we have prioritized funding within NOAA for forecasting in the future. As I was telling Mr. Blumenauer earlier, Mr. Polis, we have made sure that NOAA has got a record level of funding for weather forecasting and most of the things that Mr. Blumenauer was mentioning, in terms of forecasting drought, identifying where floods are going to occur. Looking forward, we have made sure that NOAA's got all the money they need for forecasting in the future, and we have to, I think, do everything we can to avoid cutting other parts of NOAA that would impair the weather forecasting or the development, maintenance, and operation of the weather satellites which could help NOAA inform people of severe weather. We, on the Gulf Coast in particular and on the Atlantic Coast as well, depend on NOAA to give us accurate forecasts of the paths of hurricanes. Hurricane season this year, they are predicting--because of the increase in computing power of supercomputers, they are able to predict it looks like it is going to be--the hurricane season this year is not going to be as severe. That capacity of NOAA to use supercomputing power to look that far into the future is of vital importance, so we have made sure that they have got a record level of funding for forecasting. We also do not want to reduce NOAA's capacity to support maritime navigation or to appropriately manage their fisheries. We just have limited resources, is the problem, Mr. Polis; and I just have had to prioritize NOAA's funding. We have put weather forecasting at the top of the list because of its vital importance for the economy and for the safety and security of the American people. I understand you are planning to withdraw the amendment, and I would certainly look forward to working with you. As Mr. Blumenauer mentioned a number of worthwhile endeavors that NOAA is engaged in, if you feel there are areas we need to work together on to get NOAA focused on to do a better job of forecasting in the future or other concerns, I would be happy to work with you.

Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Colorado if he would like to engage in a colloquy.

Mr. CULBERSON. I look forward to working with you as we move forward in the process. I understand you are planning to withdraw the amendment.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I reserve the balance of my time.

Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CULBERSON. Thank you for yielding because I have just checked with my staff, and it appears that the money that we have allocated, a record level of funding for NOAA's forecasting, takes care of that aircraft. The money that we have allocated for NOAA for forecasting takes care of the data stream. That is why I kept asking what are y'all specifically asking for. We have taken care of it. We are deeply concerned with making sure that NOAA has got the money they need to predict hurricanes, to predict floods, to predict the terrible flooding that has taken place in Houston or the drought that has taken place in California. I think we are on the same page. I want to be sure the gentleman knows that I will work with him as we move forward in conference. If you can identify something specific that NOAA does not have as a result of our record increase for forecasting, we will help you restore it.

Mr. CULBERSON. Well, I would like to seek some time in opposition, but I do not oppose the amendment. We have agreed to accept it and work this out.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I just want to stress, if I could, that Chairman Smith has been very supportive and cooperative. We have worked together arm in arm, as has his ranking member, who is also from Texas. This amendment is one that will help the Weather Service do a better job of forecasting. I think it is a good amendment. It is one that we have worked out together. I do urge Members to support it. I appreciate the gentleman from Pennsylvania yielding to me.

Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I yield myself such time as I may consume. Mr. Chairman, I would point out to my colleagues we have $8.5 million in the bill for studying ocean acidification. I share your concern. It is a vitally important issue. And the thrust of our work in NASA, as you know from reading the bill, is we have prioritized those missions in the bill that are the top priority of the Planetary Decadal Survey. We have encouraged NASA to follow the recommendations of the best minds in the scientific community. Every 10 years they get together and prioritize the earth science missions, heliophysics missions, astrophysics missions, those missions aimed at the outer planets, and the Europa mission has been the single highest priority of the Decadal Survey last decade and this decade. The past administration and this one continue to resist the best recommendations of the best minds in the scientific community. I can't think of a more exciting question that science could answer as to whether or not there is life on another world, and that is going to be answered by this mission to Europa. I agree strongly that we need to research ocean acidification, and that is why there is $8.5 million in the bill for it.

Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. CULBERSON. I am happy to engage in a colloquy with my friend from Pennsylvania.

Mr. CULBERSON. Will the gentleman yield?

Mr. CULBERSON. I join you in supporting the amendment.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, although I am not supposed to the gentlewoman's amendment because it is a good amendment and I support it.

Mr. CULBERSON. At this time, I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Murphy), my good friend and colleague.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I support the amendment, and I would encourage Members to support it if you would be willing to request a recorded vote on this.

Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I encourage Members to support the amendment, and I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I demand a recorded vote.

Mr. CULBERSON

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition, but I do not oppose the amendment.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I agree very strongly with the gentleman in that the inspector general's office does superb work. It is an independent agency whose oversight is crucial. The amendment will certainly improve oversight and ensure that our constituents' hard-earned tax dollars are well spent. I would urge Members to support the gentleman from Arizona's amendment. I yield back the balance of my time.

Mr. CULBERSON. Mr. Chairman, I claim the time in opposition but do not oppose the amendment and would, in fact, encourage Members to support it.

Mr. CULBERSON. I yield to the gentleman from Pennsylvania.

Mr. CULBERSON. I urge Members to support it. It is a good program and appreciate very much the gentleman bringing this to the floor today and urge Members to vote ``yes.'' I yield back the balance of my time.