Budget and Policy Update October 27, 2011

1. Budget and Policy UpdateOctober 27, 2011

3. Budget Update

4. Budget Control Act of 2011 • Increased Statutory Debt Limit by $2.1 trillion • Reduces the deficit by at least $2.1 trillion over FY12-21 • Including statutory caps on discretionary spending (projected to reduce the deficit by $917 billion) • Further budget savings of at least $1.2 trillion identified by the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction • CBO baseline assumes the end of the Bush tax cuts, no inflation adjustment to the AMT & no “Docs fix” for Medicare cuts. If these assumptions equate to about $4.6 trillion over FY12-21.

5. Automatic Spending Reduction Process • Triggered if legislation reducing the deficit by at least $1.2 trillion is not enacted by 1/15/12 • 18% will be devoted to debt service savings & 82% is the automatic deficit reduction total ($984 billion) • Equates to $109.3 billion annual cut shared evenly between defense and non-defense ($54.7 billion) • Exemptions include • Medicare cuts limited to 2% annually • Military Personnel, Medicaid, SS, Veterans, Fed Retirement, Nutrition Assistance, etc… • In FY13 spending cuts will be done automatically through an across-the-board sequester. • Starting in FY14 reductions will be carried out through sequesters for mandatory spending and reductions in discretionary spending caps

6. Projected % of budgetary resources in FY14 Percentage of Automatic Spending Reductions for a $1.2 trillion reduction in FY14

8. Physical Sciences & Engineering“flat is the new doubling”

9. NSF

10. NOAA

11. NASA

12. DoD

13. Ocean Research Priorities Plan • OSTP – Currently working through the comments submitted during NSTC review • Expected to be released “soon” • Will this be a true priority list or just a laundry list? • If or how will this impact the budget process?

14. Leadership Awards / Events • To recognize key/influential/successful ocean science decision makers and to cultivate new champions • Make awards at member institutions – press worthy event • Could be coordinated with an institutional fundraising event or science/policy lecture • Nominations led by policy committee, selected by ExCom • Perhaps 1-3 awards annually

15. Policy Update

16. Senate Oceans Caucus Dear Colleague Letter was released on May 20, 2011 • Six original signers: Senators Whitehouse, Snowe, Kerry, Murkowski, Graham, and Begich Currently there are 18 Caucus members: • 3 Republicans • 15 Democrats Caucus Leadership: • Co-chairs: Senators Whitehouse and Murkowski • Honorary Co-chairs: Senators Begich and Snowe

17. Senate Oceans Caucus Press Conference after the Inaugural Caucus Meeting on September 13th • Ocean Leadership and other co-sponsors were the only external groups invited to stand with 14 Senators at the press conference in the Capitol Building • Each organization was recognized as an important group, which will help drive the agenda and success of the caucus

18. Senate Oceans Caucus Reception • Organizer with seven other cosponsors • Over 200 reception attendees • High-level federal representation (Nancy Sutley, John Holdren, Jane Lubchenco) • Six Members of Congress (Senators Whitehouse, Murkowski, Kerry, Vitter, and Representatives Farr and Langevin)

19. Senate Oceans Caucus Future of the Caucus and our involvement? • We continue to work closely with Senate staff to provide input on policy initiatives and to suggest events that would be valuable for the Caucus sponsorship • Issues • The Caucus is trying to find ways to work across the aisle on ocean issues • Many Senators have differences of opinions of the use of ocean resources

20. Other Ocean Leadership Activities • Ocean and Coastal Welcome Reception (House-side) • Five other co-sponsoring organizations • Over 150 attendees • High-level fed representation (OSTP, NSF, and NOAA) • Members speaking - Whitehouse, Farr & Capps • Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee • Bob was asked to represent the scientific community • Off the record conversation with 6 Senators • External speakers rep. the broad ocean communities • Restoration Briefings • Partnered with COMPASS to hold 2 Hill briefings on the role of science in informing the restoration planning process

21. Ocean Leadership’s Public Policy Forums 2011: Lessons Learned and Opportunities from the BP Oil Spill • Senator Whitehouse • Rep Castor (D-FL) (pictured) • Rep Woolsey (D-CA) • Nancy Sutley • Jane Lubchenco • Marcia McNutt • Summary report available online 2012: March 7, 2012 • Potential Topic – Restoration of the Gulf Coast: national lessons applied to a regional effort

23. Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster

24. Gulf Ecosystem Restoration Initiativewww.RestoreTheGulf.gov • Task Force released its Preliminary Strategy released for public comment from October 5 – 26 • Ocean Leadership held 2 briefings on the role of science in the restoration planning process • Ocean Leadership submitted comment letter calling for: • Strong science to support the restoration planning • Connectivity among the state restoration plans • Emphasis on the importance of monitoring and the need to enhance the monitoring capabilities of the Gulf • Recognition of upstream management as a vital component to address water quality issues in the Gulf

25. RESTORE Act Update • Bi-partisan bill that would obligate 80% of the Clean Water Act penalties to the Gulf Coast. • Cosponsors: Senators Landrieu, Shelby, Cochran, Hutchinson, Nelson, Rubio, Sessions, Vitter, and Wicker • Divides 95% of the money into 3 pots: First Pot - 35% straight to the states Others - 60% dispersed by the federal restoration council • 50/50 Split for federal & state restoration projects • The remaining 5% would establish a Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Science, Monitoring, and Technology Program in NOAA • 2.5% Fisheries Endowment • 2.5% to establish five Centers of Excellence

26. S.1400 - RESTORE Act Update (cont’d) • The science program in NOAA would establish one center in each Gulf Coast State to address 1 of the following disciplines: • Coastal and deltaic sustainability, restoration and protection • Coastal Fisheries and wildlife ecosystem research and monitoring • Offshore energy development, including R&D • Sustainable and resilient growth, economic and commercial development in the Gulf Coast • Comprehensive observation, monitoring, and mapping of the Gulf of Mexico • It was amended and passed out of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in September • Included the National Endowment for the Oceans

27. S.1400 - RESTORE Act Update (cont’d) • Ocean Leadership worked closely with EPW staff and Senator Landrieu staff to support the following positions on the bill: • Calling for more coordination among the centers and with the council • Mandating NOAA to coordinate with existing research and monitoring programs currently underway in the Gulf, including those implemented through the ICOOS Act of 2009 • Establishing a scientific advisory council to support the federal council • Next Steps: • Senate Commerce committee plans to consider the science piece of S.1400

28. S.1400 - RESTORE Act Update (cont’d) • Commerce has asked for formal comments on science • In addition to our previous statements, here are some of our draft ideas for Commerce: • Call for the science program to be administered by NOPP to help expedite the grant review process and also to enable federal coordination and leverage of existing funds • Limit NOAA to no more than 3% of the science program funds for administrative uses • Establish the grant structure to be: • For 5 years in length; • funding level such that would enable the centers to conduct science for 10 years; and • call for the centers to reviewed after 3 years and re-compete after 5 years

29. H.R. 3296 - RESTORE Act Update • The House companion bill to the Senate RESTORE Act (H.R. 3296) was introduced in September and was almost identical to the Senate version. • 25 co-sponsors of the bill and are all Gulf Coast GOPs • The House bill was a copy of the UNAMENDED version from the Senate. • It does not call for NEO • It excluded our language changes on coordination of science and research programs • Ocean Leadership is working with House staff and they have agreed with many of our positions. • The future of this bill in the House is very uncertain.

30. National Ocean Policy

31. National Ocean Policy • Both the House and the Senate have attached policy riders to appropriation bills restricting the President from funding National Ocean Policy and Marine Spatial Planning programs. None of these have passed yet. • House Natural Resources Committee is currently holding a series of hearings titled “The Presidents’ New National Ocean Policy - A Plan for Further Restrictions on Ocean, Coastal and Inland Activities”

32. STEM Education • House Science, Space and Technology Committee hearings on effective K-12 STEM classroom approaches and successful public-private partnership programs for promoting STEM education • House Judiciary Committee held hearings on the need for legislative action to retain foreign graduates of US STEM graduate institutions • STEM 2 (S 619,HR 2228) in committee in both houses • No Child Left Inside Act (S 1372,HR 2547) • Preparing Students for Success in the Global Economy Act (S.1675) introduced 10/6/11

33. Other Ocean Science Bills • National Endowment for the Oceans Act (S 973) currently in Commerce, Science and Transportation • Harmful Algal Blooms and Hypoxia Research and Control Amendments Act (HR 2842, S 1701) - passed House Science, Space and Technology and currently being considered in Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee

34. Climate Change

35. Climate & Energy Legislation • Climate Legislation is DOA • House Natural Resources held hearings on the state of the offshore and renewable energy sectors, drilling in ANWR and the recovery of the Gulf of Mexico offshore drilling industry since the end of the drilling moratorium. • Senate Energy and Natural Resources held a hearing on the state of US oil spill response capabilities to incidents in foreign waters • Climate Service proposal was validated by Senate Mark. However, climate research in the President’s Request stayed in OAR.

36. Climate & Energy Legislation (cont) Ocean Leadership continues to engage with the Executive branch on their climate activities including USGCRP’s climate assessment stakeholder events New and Pending Legislation: • Polar-C Act (S 1620) introduced 9/22/11 and Polar Protection Act (HR 3113) introduced 10/5/11 address US icebreaking capabilities • Marine Hydrokinetic Renewable Energy Promotion Act (S 630, HR 2994) passed Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, currently in House Science, Space and Technology Committee

37. Ocean Leadership’s Policy Internship • Three internships per year: Spring, Summer, and Fall • Great opportunity for current graduate students or recently graduated students to learn about the policy process • Where are they now? • Sea Grant Fellow with the California Sea Grant program • NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuary Program • Tenure-track faculty member of Humboldt State University • Program Associate of NOPP at Ocean Leadership • How can we advertise more with your institution?