CompuServe Messages

I found these two files on the Volcano list. Apparently the "Contract with America" involves killing USGS among other things. QED Joseph D. Devine (Working at, but not necessarily speaking for:) Brown University Dept. of Geological Sciences Box 1846 Providence, RI 02912 —————————-Original message—————————- U.S. Representatives John Kacich (R-Ohio), Henry Hyde (R-Illinois), and Nancy Johnson (R-Connecticut) were guests Sunday night (Dec. 4, 1994) on CNN's Late Edition. These persons will have leadership positions in the incoming Congress and they are close to Rep. Newt Gingrich. Kacich announced that the House Republicans would propose elimination of the U.S. Geological Survey. White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta pointed out that the USGS has an earthquake hazard assessment responsibility in California, a state he formerly represented in the House. Kacich replied to the effect that pigs feeding at the public trough can be expected to squeal when such programs are eliminated (this is parpahrasing, but close to what he actually said). It is clear that the new House Republican leadership wants the Federal government to divest itself of its mandate for geologic hazard assessment, but it is not clear if want to pass this mandate along to the states affected (California, Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, etc.) with or without Federal funding. It is not clear what they expect to become of HVO, CVO, or the Volcano Crisis Assistance Team. Many earth scientists were probably already on their way to AGU when this program aired. I would like to see this information go out on VOLCANO. "There is no such thing as an apolitical man." –Bernard Malamud, The Fixer. ********************************************************************************** (Once again, apologies to non-U.S. subscribers for this item of domestic concern.) The following is reprinted from "Science Scope", edited by Richard Stone, in the 28 October 1994 issue of Science (v. 266, p. 531): House Republicans Promise Science Cuts If Republicans gain control of the House after next month's elections, expect a tussle over the budgets of several science agencies. Last month, the Republican National Committee released a "Contract with America," a collection of 10 bills that Republicans have pledged to introduce next year to combat crime, create jobs, and generate $148 billion in tax breaks. To pay for the plan, the committee offers $176 billion in spending cuts, including $11.2 billion in science programs. At the top of the hit list are the Commerce Department's Advanced Technology Program (ATP) and the Interior Department's Geological Survey and Biological Survey, all of which would be eliminated for an estimated 5-year savings of $4.22 billion. The plan would also limit growth of the National Science Foundation's budget to 1% less than the inflation rate (savings $350 million over 5 years) and hold reimbursement of academic research overhead to 46 cents on the dollar (saving $1.62 billion). Other areas targeted for cuts are energy research ($2.4 billion), agricultural research ($830 million), and several National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration programs ($805 million). Much of this research "can be done in the private sector," says Barry Jackson, a spokesperson for the Republican National Committee. Jackson acknowledges that "none of these things are necessarily going to happen" in the 1996 budget. Most of the items came from proposals sponsored by House Republicans and rejected by Democrats in the past two years. But if the House changes hands, Republicans would be in a stronger position to pursue them. This is nice, isn't it?