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From the Senate Reports Online via GPO Access
[wais.access.gpo.gov]
Calendar No. 504
104th Congress Report
SENATE
2d Session 104-325
_______________________________________________________________________
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL,
1997
_______
July 19, 1996--Ordered to be printed
_______________________________________________________________________
Mr. Hatfield, from the Committee on Appropriations, submitted the
following
R E P O R T
[To accompany H.R. 3675]
The Committee on Appropriations, to which was referred the
bill (H.R. 3675) making appropriations for the Department of
Transportation and related agencies for the fiscal year ending
September 30, 1997, and for other purposes, reports the same to
the Senate with amendments and recommends that the bill as
amended do pass.
Amounts of new budget (obligational) authority for fiscal year 1997
Amount of bill passed by the House...................... $12,551,311,000
Amount of bill as reported to Senate.................... 12,560,535,000
Amount of budget estimates, 1997........................ 12,633,915,627
Fiscal year 1996 enacted................................ 11,918,532,831
C O N T E N T S
----------
SUMMARY OF MAJOR RECOMMENDATIONS
Page
Total obligational authority..................................... 4
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Office of the Secretary
Salaries and expenses............................................ 5
Office of Civil Rights........................................... 6
Transportation planning, research, and development............... 6
Transportation Administrative Service Center..................... 7
Payments to air carriers......................................... 8
Rental payments.................................................. 12
Minority Business Resource Center Program........................ 15
Minority business outreach....................................... 15
U.S. Coast Guard
Operating expenses............................................... 21
Acquisition, construction, and improvements...................... 29
Environmental compliance and restoration......................... 36
Port safety development.......................................... 37
Alteration of bridges............................................ 37
Retired pay...................................................... 38
Reserve training................................................. 38
Research, development, test, and evaluation...................... 39
Boat safety...................................................... 40
Federal Aviation Administration
Operations....................................................... 41
Facilities and equipment......................................... 54
Research, engineering, and development........................... 74
Grants-in-aid for airports....................................... 80
Aircraft Purchase Loan Guarantee Program......................... 84
Federal Highway Administration
Limitation on general operating expenses......................... 85
Administrative expenses.......................................... 86
Motor carrier safety operations.................................. 87
Highway-related safety grants.................................... 100
Federal-aid highways............................................. 101
Interstate substitute highways................................... 107
Right-of-way revolving fund...................................... 110
Motor carrier safety grants...................................... 110
Alameda corridor project loan program............................ 112
State infrastructure banks....................................... 112
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Operations and research.......................................... 114
Highway traffic safety grants.................................... 122
Federal Railroad Administration
Office of the Administrator...................................... 125
Railroad safety.................................................. 126
Railroad research and development................................ 128
Northeast Corridor Improvement Program........................... 130
High-speed rail trainsets and facilities......................... 132
Next generation high-speed rail.................................. 134
Alaska railroad rehabilitation................................... 135
Pennsylvania Station redevelopment project....................... 135
Rhode Island rail development.................................... 135
Direct loan financing program.................................... 136
Grants to National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Amtrak)....... 136
Federal Transit Administration
Administrative expenses.......................................... 139
Formula grants................................................... 139
University transportation centers................................ 141
Transit planning and research.................................... 141
Trust fund share of transit programs............................. 143
Discretionary grants............................................. 143
Mass transit capital fund........................................ 161
Violent crime reduction programs................................. 161
St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
Operations and maintenance....................................... 162
Research and Special Programs Administration
Research and special programs.................................... 164
Pipeline safety.................................................. 167
Emergency preparedness grants.................................... 170
Office of Inspector General
Salaries and expenses............................................ 171
Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Airport and airway trust fund.................................... 171
Surface Transportation Board
Salaries and expenses............................................ 173
TITLE II--RELATED AGENCIES
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board:
Salaries and expenses.......................................... 175
National Transportation Safety Board: Salaries and expenses...... 175
Panama Canal Commission: Panama Canal Revolving Fund............. 176
TITLE III--GENERAL PROVISIONS
General provisions............................................... 178
Compliance with paragraph 7, rule XVI, of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 180
Compliance with paragraph 7(c), rule XXVI, of the Standing Rules
of the Senate.................................................. 180
Compliance with paragraph 12, rule XXVI of the Standing Rules of
the Senate..................................................... 181
Budgetary impact statement....................................... 183
Total Obligational Authority Provided--General Funds and Trust Funds
In addition to the appropriation of $12,560,535,000 in new
budget authority for fiscal year 1997, large amounts of
contract authority are provided by law, the obligation limits
for which are contained in the annual appropriations bill. The
principal items in this category are the trust funded programs
for Federal-aid highways, for mass transit, and for airport
development grants. For fiscal year 1997, estimated obligation
limitations total $23,214,850,000.
program, project, and activity
During fiscal year 1997, for the purposes of the Balanced
Budget and Emergency Deficit Control Act of 1985 (Public Law
99-177), as amended, with respect to appropriations contained
in the accompanying bill, the terms ``program, project, and
activity'' shall mean any item for which a dollar amount is
contained in appropriations acts (including joint resolutions
providing continuing appropriations) or accompanying reports of
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations, or
accompanying conference reports and joint explanatory
statements of the committee of conference. This definition
shall apply to all programs for which new budget (obligational)
authority is provided, as well as to discretionary grants and
discretionary grant allocations made through either bill or
report language. In addition, the percentage reductions made
pursuant to a sequestration order to funds appropriated for
facilities and equipment, Federal Aviation Administration, and
for acquisition, construction, and improvements, Coast Guard,
shall be applied equally to each budget item that is listed
under said accounts in the budget justifications submitted to
the House and Senate Committees on Appropriations as modified
by subsequent appropriations acts and accompanying committee
reports, conference reports, or joint explanatory statements of
the committee of conference.
TITLE I--DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY
Salaries and Expenses
Appropriations, 1996.................................... $56,189,000
Budget estimate, 1997................................... 55,376,000
House allowance......................................... 53,816,000
Committee recommendation
53,376,000
Section 3 of the Department of Transportation Act of
October 15, 1966 (Public Law 89-670) provides for establishment
of the Office of the Secretary of Transportation [OST]. The
Office of the Secretary is composed of the Secretary and the
Deputy Secretary immediate offices, the Office of the General
Counsel, and five assistant secretarial offices for
transportation policy, aviation and international affairs,
budget and programs, governmental affairs, and administration.
These secretarial offices have policy development and central
supervisory and coordinating functions related to the overall
planning and direction of the Department of Transportation,
including staff assistance and general management supervision
of the counterpart offices in the operating administrations of
the Department.
The Committee recommends a total of $53,376,000 for the
salaries and expenses of the Office of the Secretary of
Transportation including $40,000 for reception and
representation expenses. This appropriation will support a
personnel level of 486 full-time equivalents.
Reductions in staff.--The Committee recommendation reduces
the administration's request by $1,000,000. This reduction
concurs with the House's observation regarding the Office of
Acquisition and Grants Management. However, the Committee has
reduced 5 positions from this activity instead of a reduction
of 10 positions as recommended by the House. While this
activity has previously been supported by both the House and
Senate Appropriations Committees, it does not appear as though
this office has been well utilized, and little value has been
added by OST's acquisition oversight. Agencies with large
procurement budgets, notably the Coast Guard and the Federal
Aviation Administration, have major in-house efforts for
acquisition oversight. It does not appear to the Committee as
though this additional layer has added to the quality of the
decisions made by those agencies, nor is the Committee aware of
any formal oversight reviews which have resulted in cost
savings or procurement efficiencies.
Other costs.--The Committee is reducing funding for other
costs by $1,000,000. The administration had requested a 34-
percent increase in this line item (from $10,226,000 in fiscal
year 1996 to $13,745,000 in 1997). The Committee's reduction is
associated with a cut for information technology and support.
It appears to the Committee that the Office of the Secretary
has spent considerable sums in both hardware and personnel for
developing a localized area network for the office, but has
still not decided on the configuration of the best possible
system, and is currently running four different types of
operations, some of which have very recently experienced
significant down time. Given the funding that has been provided
in the past, it does not appear to the Committee that the
computerization of the Office of the Secretary, which serves a
generally administrative function, should have these
difficulties in the information technology area. The Committee
has made the reduction in the hope that greater focus will be
put on this area, and that better decisions will be made about
the final design and configuration of the localized area
network system.
Bill Language
Electronic tariff filing.--The Committee has included bill
language which was also included by the House which permits the
Office of the Secretary to credit to this account $1,000,000 in
user fees to support the electronic tariff filing system.
Office of Civil Rights
Appropriations, 1996.................................... $6,554,000
Budget estimate, 1997................................... 5,574,000
House allowance......................................... 5,574,000
Committee recommendation
5,574,000
The Office of Civil Rights is responsible for advising the
Secretary on civil rights and equal employment opportunity
matters, formulating civil rights policies and procedures for
the operating administrations, investigating claims that small
businesses were denied certification or improperly certified as
disadvantaged business enterprises, and overseeing the
Department's conduct of its civil rights responsibilities and
making final determinations on civil rights complaints. In
addition, the Civil Rights Office is responsible for enforcing
laws and regulations which prohibit discrimination in federally
operated and federally assisted transportation programs. In
fiscal year 1995, the management of internal civil rights
activities was consolidated in OST with transfer authority
provided in the ``Salaries and expenses'' account. In fiscal
year 1996, a separate appropriation funded all internal civil
rights activities in the Department.
The Committee has provided a total of $5,574,000 for the
Office of Civil Rights, which will support a personnel level of
76 full-time equivalents.
Transportation Planning, Research, and Development
Appropriations, 1996.................................... $8,220,000
Budget estimate, 1997................................... 7,919,000
House allowance......................................... 3,000,000
Committee recommendation
4,158,000
The Office of the Secretary performs those research
activities and studies which can more effectively or
appropriately be conducted at the departmental level. This
research effort supports the planning, research and development
activities, and systems development needed to assist the
Secretary in the formulation of national transportation
policies. The program is carried out primarily through
contracts with other Federal agencies, educational
institutions, nonprofit research organizations, and private
firms.
The Committee has reduced the administration's request by
$3,761,000. This recommended level would reduce the
administration's request in the following areas: -$250,000 for
funding related to planned trade promotion related to the
continuation of expanding and supporting the sale of U.S. goods
abroad; -$1,000,000, as recommended by the House, which deletes
funding for the development of GPS augmentation; and
-$2,511,000 associated with the further development of the
transportation automated procurement system [TAPS]. As observed
by the House, the pilot test program for TAPS has yet to be
completed, and it appears as though the funding requested may
be premature at this time.
Transportation Administrative Service Center
Limitation, 1996........................................ ($103,149,000)
Budget estimate, 1997...................................................
House allowance......................................... (124,812,000)
Committee recommendation
(124,812,000)
The Transportation Administrative Service Center [TASC]
will provide a business operation fund for DOT to provide a
wide range of administrative services to the Department and
other customers. TASC will function as an entrepreneurial and
self-sufficient entity and providing competitive quality
services responsive to customer needs. The TASC will be
governed by a Board of Directors composed of customer agencies,
operating in a competitive business like environment. The TASC
will present proposed operating and financial plans to the
Board at the beginning of each fiscal year. Once the Board has
approved those plans the TASC will provide cost-effective
products and services to its full customer base. The Director
of TASC will provide quarterly performance and financial
reports to the Board, will make recommendations for changes to
the approved plans and will be responsible for the day-to-day
management of the TASC. DOT administrations must procure
consolidated administrative services from the TASC unless a
financial analysis of the services demonstrates that it is more
cost beneficial to the Department as a whole--not to an
individual operating entity alone--to change the nature of the
service delivery (to consolidate a service or to decentralize a
service). TASC services are being marketed to customers outside
DOT to provide greater economies of scale, thus reducing costs
to individual customers. TASC services include:
--Functions currently in DOT's working capital fund [WCF];
--Office of the Secretary (OST] personnel, procurement and
information technology support operations, currently
financed in the OST Salaries and Expenses [S&E]
appropriation;
--Systems development staff, as well as central design
functions for transportation automated procurement
system [TAPS] and the dockets management system [DMS],
currently financed in the Transportation Planning,
Research and Development [TPR&D] appropriation;
--Operations of the consolidated departmental dockets
facilities; and
--Certain departmental services and administrative operations
such as, human resources management programs, transit
fare subsidy payments, employee wellness including
substance awareness and testing, and the Office of
Hearings, currently financed by reimbursable agreements
between OST and the operating administrations [OA].
All of the services of the TASC will be financed through
customer reimbursements, to the extent possible, on a fee-for-
service basis. The Committee concurs with the House's direction
regarding the hiring of transportation administrative service
center staff in fiscal year 1997. Full-time equivalent
personnel for similar activities in fiscal year 1995 was 287;
in 1996, 299. The Department requested a total of 330 FTE's for
fiscal year 1997, which the Committee deems excessive at this
time.
Payments to Air Carriers
(liquidation of contract authorization)
(airport and airway trust fund)
Appropriations, 1996.................................... ($22,600,000)
Budget estimate, 1997................................... (21,922,000)
House allowance......................................... (10,000,000)
Committee recommendation
(25,900,000)
The Secretary of Transportation administers the section 419
Subsidy Program, which was created as part of the Airline
Deregulation Act of 1978. Subsidy under this program is paid to
airlines, primarily commuter carriers, to support the provision
of essential air service to points that would not be served but
for the subsidy. The budget proposed eliminating all
communities within 70 miles of an FAA-designated small, medium,
or large hub airport.
Many points are located in remote rural areas: 57 of 69
communities served by the Essential Air Service Program are
more than 100 highway miles from the nearest small, medium, or
large hub airport. Twenty-six more communities are located in
Alaska, where, in all but two cases, year-round road access
does not exist. Recognizing the critical importance of EAS
service to these communities, the Committee intends that
service in Alaska not be reduced. Without air service, such
communities would be further isolated from the Nation's
economic centers. Moreover, businesses are typically interested
in locating in areas that have convenient access to scheduled
air service. Loss of service would seriously hamper small
communities' ability to attract new business or even to retain
those they now have, resulting in further strain on local
economies and loss of jobs.
The Committee recommends a liquidation of contract
authorization of $25,900,000 for fiscal year 1997 payments to
air carriers which is the same as the limitation on
obligations.
limitation on obligations
The Committee recommends an obligation limitation of
$25,900,000, which is $3,978,000 above the administration's
request.
Under the Committee's recommended level, funding would be
provided for all those points currently receiving service.
The amount recommended by the Committee would include the
following points:
FISCAL YEAR 1997 EAS BUDGET PROJECTIONS \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Estimated Average daily
mileage to enplanements
nearest hub at EAS point Current annual Subsidy per
States/communities (small, (year ending subsidy rates passenger
medium, or March 31, (May 1, 1996)
large) 1995)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arizona:
Kingman..................................... 103 10.5 $94,663 $14.40
Page........................................ 274 23.3 129,560 8.87
Prescott.................................... 103 37.8 94,663 4.00
Arkansas:
El Dorado/Camden............................ 108 11.1 474,453 68.15
Harrison.................................... 139 10.0 775,862 124.10
Jonesboro................................... 71 10.5 474,453 71.98
California:
Crescent City............................... 233 15.2 151,450 15.91
Merced...................................... 118 22.1 182,121 13.14
Visalia..................................... 202 17.0 182,121 17.16
Colorado:
Cortez...................................... 253 27.0 92,976 5.49
Lamar....................................... 162 4.4 190,987 69.93
Hawaii: Kamuela................................. 39 5.6 215,361 61.30
Iowa: Ottumwa................................... 92 5.9 268,410 72.64
Kansas:
Dodge City.................................. 156 14.9 113,693 12.19
Garden City................................. 209 25.4 190,987 12.01
Goodland.................................... 190 3.0 190,987 102.79
Great Bend.................................. 116 6.0 113,693 30.24
Hays........................................ 175 16.6 113,693 10.92
Liberal/Guymon.............................. 162 10.5 190,987 28.95
Topeka...................................... 76 22.9 102,362 7.13
Maine:
Augusta/Waterville \2\...................... 71 21.5 288,516 42.92
Bar Harbor.................................. 164 16.9 259,243 24.57
Rockland.................................... 79 14.8 259,243 28.02
Minnesota:
Fairmont.................................... 153 3.9 247,771 100.39
Fergus Falls................................ 185 13.5 146,508 17.38
Mankato..................................... 75 5.1 247,771 77.04
Missouri:
Cape Girardeau.............................. 133 20.4 164,027 12.85
Fort Leonard Wood........................... 130 14.5 196,606 21.69
Kirksville.................................. 158 8.5 224,382 42.24
Montana:
Glasgow..................................... 279 6.4 303,956 76.07
Glendive.................................... 223 2.7 511,909 308.19
Havre....................................... 251 4.9 439,972 143.41
Lewiston.................................... 129 3.7 439,972 189.32
Miles City.................................. 145 3.2 511,909 257.76
Sidney...................................... 273 7.2 511,909 113.86
Wolf Point.................................. 295 4.7 303,956 103.70
Nebraska:
Alliance.................................... 242 2.7 346,863 203.68
Chadron..................................... 301 2.7 346,863 207.33
Hastings.................................... 160 2.8 317,496 183.95
Kearney..................................... 186 10.1 317,496 50.04
McCook...................................... 259 3.3 657,724 322.73
Nevada: Ely..................................... 236 7.4 508,759 109.74
New Mexico:
Alamogordo/Holloman AFB..................... 92 12.7 166,705 20.91
Clovis...................................... 106 15.0 200,332 21.31
Silver City/Hurley/Deming................... 163 11.2 263,458 37.62
New York:
Massena..................................... 149 20.5 198,810 15.51
Ogdensburg.................................. 127 10.0 198,810 31.72
North Dakota:
Devils Lake................................. 403 12.4 208,119 26.81
Dickinson................................... 313 11.9 141,502 18.95
Jamestown................................... 304 10.3 208,119 32.20
Oklahoma:
Enid........................................ 91 12.0 301,400 40.28
Ponca City.................................. 88 13.7 301,400 35.24
Pennsylvania: Oil City/Franklin................. 91 27.0 89,916 5.32
South Dakota:
Brookings................................... 211 5.6 247,771 70.61
Mitchell.................................... 245 3.6 247,771 110.32
Yankton..................................... 159 9.0 268,875 47.78
Texas: Brownwood................................ 153 7.1 372,426 83.58
Utah:
Cedar City.................................. 257 19.1 292,882 24.55
Moab........................................ 241 6.0 367,713 98.69
Vernal...................................... 171 19.2 194,466 16.18
Virginia: Staunton.............................. 108 31.4 188,050 9.58
Washington: Ephrata/Moses Lake.................. 122 26.3 177,628 10.80
West Virginia:
Beckley..................................... 186 12.0 137,229 18.25
Princeton/Bluefield......................... 145 15.6 137,229 14.09
Wyoming: Worland................................ 164 8.3 145,239 27.86
---------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal of long-term non-Alaska rates.... .............. .............. 16,952,183 ..............
Long-term Alaska rates.......................... .............. .............. 2,058,412 ..............
Six Mesa communities............................ .............. .............. 1,000,000 ..............
Fort Leonard Wood............................... .............. .............. 100,000 ..............
Kamuela......................................... .............. .............. 80,000 ..............
Staunton........................................ .............. .............. 40,000 ..............
Moab............................................ .............. .............. 125,000 ..............
Commuter safety rule............................ .............. .............. 144,405 ..............
Rate increases and hold-ins..................... .............. .............. 3,645,140 ..............
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total..................................... .............. .............. 24,145,140 ..............
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ The above list of communities is based on currently available data, and is subject to change for a number of
reasons. Subsidy rates change as their 2-year rate terms expire throughout the year. In addition, air carriers
submit passenger traffic data on a quarterly basis. Changes in both subsidy rates and traffic levels will, of
course, change subsidy-per-passenger calculations. Further, some communities currently receiving subsidy-free
service may require subsidy in the future while some currently subsidized communities may attain profitability
and no longer require subsidy. Finally, hub designations are recalculated annually and published by the FAA in
the Airport Activities Statistics.
\2\ Enplanements based on less than 1 full year's passenger data annualized.
Under the administration's proposal the following points
would no longer be eligible for subsidy.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Enplanements
Estimated per day at EAS
States/communities mileage to Small hub or point (year Current annual
nearest hub jet ending March subsidy rate
31, 1995)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Arkansas: Hot Springs........................... 54 S 14.9 $374,739
New Hampshire: Keene............................ 56 S 7.2 312,202
Alabama:
Anniston.................................... 61 S 8.5 494,816
Tuscaloosa.................................. 61 S 32.1 128,361
Vermont: Rutland................................ 67 S 10.4 312,202
New York: Watertown............................. 69 S 15.8 132,540
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total subsidy............................. .............. .............. .............. 1,754,860
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Committee recommends a funding level to accommodate the
points listed above.
Slot access.--Under 49 U.S.C. 41714(a)(2), the Secretary is
given authority to provide for additional essential air service
at slot-controlled airports by exemption, ``unless such an
exemption would significantly increase operational delays.''
The recent decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the
District of Columbia in Mesa Air Group v. Department of
Transportation (No. 98-1017) has limited the power of the
Secretary to compel commuter airlines to provide essential air
service at reduced levels without revising their subsidy
contracts.
In some cases, however, it may be possible to maintain and
improve essential air services without significantly increasing
funding requirements by providing for additional exemptions
under the Secretary's existing powers and to improve service to
nonhub cities as well. Where that is the case, the Secretary is
directed to make the fullest possible use of those powers. In
order to minimize the risk that such exemptions would increase
operational delays, the Secretary should consider various
options, including allowing changes in slot timing which do not
increase the total number of slots. Such a step could be
facilitated, for example, by combining essential air service
slots with the pool of slots reserved at O'Hare Airport for
military operations in a way that would increase the
Department's flexibility with regard to the time of day
assigned to essential air service slots. Changes in the time of
day essential air service flights are operated can
significantly affect subsidy costs. The Secretary is also
directed to use exemption authority to improve service to
nonhub airports where significant improvements can be achieved.
This directive is limited to O'Hare International Airport and
aircraft carrying less than 60 passengers.
Payments to Air Carriers
(rescission on contract authorization)
(airport and airway trust fund)
Rescission, 1996........................................ -$16,000,000
Budget estimate, 1997 \1\............................... -16,678,000
House allowance......................................... -28,600,000
Committee recommendation................................ -12,700,000
\1\ Consistent with the budget proposal, contract authority previously
enacted is proposed to be rescinded.
The House has included bill language which would rescind
$28,600,000 of contract authority funding for the payments to
air carriers program, because the fully authorized level of
$38,600,000 in contract authority would not be available under
the House's proposed $10,000,000 limitation on obligations.
Under the Senate proposal only $12,700,000 of the contract
authority would be unused and is, therefore, recommended for
rescission.
Payments to Air Carriers
(Rescission)
Rescission, 1996........................................ -$6,786,971
Budget estimate, 1997................................... -1,133,373
House allowance......................................... -1,133,000
Committee recommendation
-1,133,000
The amount proposed for rescission represents balances from
prior years. The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, section 419,
included a subsidy program to ensure scheduled air service to
specified communities. Prior to fiscal year 1992, funding for
this subsidy was provided from the ``General fund'' account.
Starting in fiscal year 1992, this program has been funded from
the ``Payments to air carriers trust fund'' account. For the
past several years, balances have been carried forward in the
``General fund'' account. These balances are no longer required
as the program is now funded from the trust fund account.
Rental Payments
Appropriations, 1996.................................... $135,200,000
Budget estimate, 1997 \1\............................... 137,581,000
House allowance......................................... 127,447,000
Committee recommendation................................ 132,500,000
\1\ Rental payments for the FHWA are separately budgeted but reimbursed
to this account.
Rental payments to the General Services Administration
[GSA] are included as a separate line-item appropriation in the
bill. Overall, the administration has requested a 1.8-percent
increase in the general fund appropriation for rental payments.
The Committee has provided an appropriation of $132,500,000
for rental payments in fiscal year 1997, a 2-percent reduction
from the 1996 level, plus $17,192,000 to be paid by
reimbursement from the highway trust fund for a total of
$149,692,000.
Funding for rental payments has been held to the fiscal
year 1996 level. The Committee generally concurs with the
House's observation that, given the downsizing in the
Department of Transportation (for which the Department should
be commended), increased rental payments should not be
necessary if the consolidation of space is properly managed. As
observed by the House, the recent renovations necessary at the
Nassif Building present an opportunity for the Department to
reorganize its office space to better achieve savings in fiscal
year 1997. The Committee expects that the Department will be
able to reduce its space utilization rates, and thereby release
excess space to the General Services Administration.
GSA RENTAL PAYMENTS \1\
[Dollars and square feet in thousands]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year 1995 enacted Fiscal year 1996 Fiscal year 1997 request
\2\ Fiscal year projected \3\ -------------------------
Administration -------------------------- 1995 GSA --------------------------
Funding Square feet billings Funding Square feet Funding Square feet
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Highway Administration............................... [$18,044] [987] [$16,388] [$17,192] [1,060] [$18,225] [1,063]
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration............... 4,716 155 4,278 4,393 219 4,438 207
Federal Railroad Administration.............................. 3,363 135 2,979 3,094 160 3,192 160
Federal Transit Administration............................... 3,332 109 3,078 3,237 151 3,350 144
Federal Aviation Administration.............................. 75,820 4,374 68,653 69,743 4,223 69,550 4,189
U.S. Coast Guard............................................. 42,281 2,347 39,710 40,644 2,564 38,595 2,486
St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.................. 181 6 163 195 9 193 9
Research and Special Programs Administration................. 2,378 77 2,217 2,039 102 2,270 102
Office of the Inspector General.............................. 2,579 94 2,207 2,267 113 2,479 111
Office of the Secretary of Transportation.................... 9,679 1,440 12,627 12,942 614 13,013 597
Bureau of Transportation Statistics.......................... 90 3 161 314 16 501 18
OST--rental payments to GSA.................................. [144,419] ........... [136,074] [138,868] [8,171] [137,581] ...........
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal............................................... 144,419 8,740 136,074 138,868 8,171 137,581 8,023
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rescissions.............................................. (7,445) ........... ........... ........... ........... ........... ...........
Federal Highway Administration............................... 18,044 987 16,389 17,192 1,060 18,225 1,063
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total, Department of Transportation (excludes MarAd)... 155,018 9,727 152,463 156,060 9,231 155,806 9,086
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Enacted as a single account under the Office of the Secretary of Transportation. The budgets proposes appropriations language which directs the
reimbursement of FHWA GSA rent from FHWA LGOE account to the consolidated account.
\2\ Fiscal year 1995 Office of the Secretary of Transportation funding of $9,679,000 reflects a $3,000,000 credit for rate reductions for all
administrations headquarters space as reported to Congress by GSA. However, each administration received their share of the credit on the actual
bills.
\3\ Fiscal year 1996 requirements are best represented by the projected billings. There is no distribution by mode of the enacted amounts of
$152,885,000 and 8.58 million square feet because they are less than our existing inventory. An increase in square footage for most modes over the
fiscal year 1995 enacted level is due to the redistribution of each mode's share of headquarters parking from OST to the mode. In total there is an
overall reduction in square feet.
Minority Business Resource Center Program
Appropriations, 1996.................................... $1,900,000
Budget estimate, 1997................................... 1,900,000
House allowance......................................... 1,900,000
Committee recommendation
1,900,000
Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization
[OSDBU]/Minority Business Resource Center [MBRC].--The OSDBU/
MBRC provides assistance in obtaining short-term working
capital and bonding for disadvantaged, minority, and women-
owned businesses [DBE/MBE/WBE's]. In fiscal year 1997, the
short-term loan program will focus on the lending of working
capital to DBE/MBE/WBE's for transportation-related projects in
order to strengthen their competitive and productive
capabilities.
Since fiscal year 1993, the loan program has been a
separate line item appropriation, which reflects the
President's budget proposal, which segregated such activities
in response to changes made by the Federal Credit Reform Act of
1990. The limitation on direct loans under the Minority
Business Resource Center is at the administration's requested
level of $15,000,000.
The Department is projecting that the authorized loan level
of $15,000,000 will be reached in fiscal years 1996 and 1997.
The program provides a valuable source of working capital for
minority businesses to manage their transportation-related
contracts. Of the funds appropriated $1,500,000 covers the
direct subsidy costs for loans not to exceed $15,000,000; and,
$400,000 is for administrative expenses to carry out the Direct
Loan Program.
Minority Business Outreach
Appropriations, 1996.................................... $2,900,000
Budget estimate, 1997................................... 2,900,000
House allowance......................................... 2,900,000
Committee recommendation
2,900,000
This appropriation provides contractual support to assist
minority business firms, entrepreneurs, and venture groups in
securing contracts and subcontracts arising out of projects
that involve Federal spending. It also provides support to
historically black and Hispanic colleges. Separate funding is
requested by the administration since this program provides
grants and contract assistance that serves DOT-wide goals and
not just OST purposes.
General Provisions
Political and Presidential appointees.--The Committee has
included a provision in the bill (sec. 305), which is similar
to general provisions that have been included in previous
appropriations acts, which limits the number of political and
Presidential appointees within the Department of
Transportation. The Committee is recommending that the ceiling
for fiscal year 1997 be 107 personnel, which is the same as the
House recommendation.
Advisory committees.--The Committee has included a general
provision (sec. 331) similar to that recommended by the House
which would limit the amount of funds that could be used for
the expenses of advisory committees utilized by the Department
of Transportation. The limitation specified is $1,050,000,
which is $200,000 above that enacted in fiscal year 1996.
Transportation administrative service center.--The
Committee is recommending a general provision (sec. 321) which
was recommended by the House to limit the amounts for the
transportation administrative service center to $114,812,000.
This limitation will be imposed on a pro rata basis across all
of the agencies within the Department of Transportation, but
does not pertain to nondepartment entities.
Rental payments.--The Committee has included a new general
provision (sec. 326) which provides the Secretary the authority
to transfer funds out of the salaries and expenses accounts of
the various agencies into the ``Rental payments'' account. Such
transfers are only to be used to cover space, utility, and
ancillary charges imposed by the General Services
Administration, and are to cover only those expenses which are
in excess of the specific rental payment ($149,692,000)
provided in the bill.
Employee buyouts.--The Committee has included a general
provision which allows the Department of Transportation to
provide employees with buyouts. The Department has made good
progress in meeting the fiscal year 1999 ``National Performance
Review'' [NPR] targets regarding employment. On May 31, 1996,
the Department had achieved a 25-percent reduction in the NPR
targeted positions, the halfway point under the NPR plan. Most
of this can be attributed to the Department's ability to offer
buyouts. The Department's nonbuyout attrition rate is slightly
more than 3 percent. Therefore, achieving the remaining 25
percent of the target is going to be more difficult unless the
Department has the authority and the option to offer employee
buyouts. Without such an option, it is likely that the
Department would have to revert to involuntary separations in
order to achieve its targeted goals. Given the employee time in
service, many employees in the targeted areas of the Department
of Transportation will be reaching retirement eligibility, and
the buyout option may be a good incentive for employees to
retire earlier and assist the Department in meeting the NPR
targets.
--U.S. Coast Guard.--The additional buyout authority will
allow the agency to accommodate planned reorganization
such as the relocation of the Electronics Engineering
Center in Wildwood, NJ; phase II of the Governors
Island shutdown; completion of the reorganization of
the Office of Marine Safety; and the security and
environmental office reorganization.
--Federal Railroad Administration.--Due to the numerous
issues surrounding railroad safety, the Committee feels
that additional buyouts in this area will also be of
great assistance. For example, the FRA has not hired up
to its allocated ceiling in the safety inspector
occupation work force. Since, as attrition occurs,
these positions will only be filled on a 1-for-1 basis,
reductions would have to be taken elsewhere within FRA
if more than the attrited positions were to be filled.
Consequently, buyouts are a necessary tool to reach
overall FRA reductions, as well as hiring up to its
allocated ceiling in the specific area of safety
inspector work force.
--Office of the Secretary.--With few exceptions, the majority
of the Office of the Secretary's employees are
considered headquarters personnel. Additionally,
departmental budget, accounting, personnel, and
acquisition areas are administered in the office, so
that it has a disproportionately high concentration of
targeted occupations. In an effort to streamline and
restructure this office while still offering necessary
services to the public and its operating agencies, the
Office of the Secretary needs the added flexibility of
buyouts to meet the NPR targets assigned to them.
Bonus and award payments.--The Department of Transportation
has budgeted $25,961,904 for performance awards for all
employee levels. All of the bonus and award payments are
discretionary. The Committee has included language limiting the
allowable Department bonuses and awards to the amounts depicted
below.
The total amount recommended for each agency versus the
1997 budget request is depicted below. The Committee has
included a general provision in the bill which limits funds for
employee bonuses and awards to $25,448,300.
PERFORMANCE AWARDS
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Agency Fiscal year 1997 budget Committee
1996 limitation estimate recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary...................................... $500,037 \1\ $407,000 $407,000
Coast Guard.................................................. 1,713,461 1,716,500 1,713,500
Federal Aviation Administration.............................. 20,897,137 20,976,888 20,800,000
Federal Highway Administration............................... 1,298,544 1,341,652 1,200,000
Bureau of Transportation Statistics.......................... 22,913 66,950 30,090
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration............... 303,738 335,000 303,000
Federal Railroad Administration.............................. 306,729 317,000 302,000
Federal Transit Administration............................... 238,945 220,714 220,710
St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.................. 48,814 50,000 48,000
Research and Special Programs Administration \2\............. 139,468 144,200 139,000
Office of Inspector General.................................. 185,289 186,000 185,000
Revenue for Presidential rank awards......................... 220,000 ............... ...............
Surface Transportation Board................................. ............... 200,000 100,000
--------------------------------------------------
Total.................................................. 25,875,075 25,961,904 25,448,300
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes $120,000 for the Transportation Administrative Service Center.
\2\ Excludes Volpe National Transportation Systems Center.
Other
Reductions in fiscal year 1996 appropriations.--In fiscal
year 1996, reductions were made to a number of accounts due to
limitations or reductions imposed in various areas, such as the
working capital fund, performance awards, administrative and
consolidation savings, and rescissions required by the Omnibus
Consolidated Rescissions and Appropriations Act of 1996 (Public
Law 104-134). In the Senate Committee report, each account head
shows the amount originally appropriated in Public Law 104-50,
before the various and sundry reductions were made. The table
below depicts the amount of funds originally appropriated for
each of the accounts, and the reductions required.
REDUCTIONS IN FISCAL YEAR 1996 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION APPROPRIATIONS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Awards GP 349 Administrative Section 31002 Net
Account Enacted WCF GP 327 \1\ \1\ GP 335 \1\ Rescission \1\ rescission \2\ appropriation
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Office of the Secretary:
Salaries and expenses....... $56,189,000 $593,389 $9,963 $1,762,000 ............... $78,000 $53,745,648
Transportation planning,
research, and development.. 8,220,000 ............... 1,000 300,000 ............... 13,000 7,906,000
Office of Civil Rights...... 6,554,000 ............... 2,000 925,000 ............... 9,000 5,618,000
Minority business outreach.. 2,900,000 ............... ............... ............... ............... 4,000 2,896,000
Working capital fund........ 103,149,000 (7,500,000) (6,000) ............... ............... ............... 95,643,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 593,389 12,963 2,987,000 ............... 104,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
U.S. Coast Guard:
Operating expenses
(excluding $300,000,000
transferred from DOD)...... 2,278,991,000 1,733,000 ............... 195,000 ............... 1,133,000 2,275,930,000
Acquisition, construction,
and improvements........... 362,375,000 ............... ............... ............... ............... \3\ (500,000) 362,375,000
Retired pay................. 582,022,000 ............... ............... ............... ............... 2,500,000 579,522,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 1,733,000 ............... 195,000 ............... 3,633,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
Federal Aviation Administration:
Operations (general and
trust) \4\................. 4,645,712,000 2,271,888 720,112 ............... ............... ............... 4,642,720,000
Facilities and equipment.... 1,934,883,000 ............... ............... ............... \5\ $13,590,000 \6\ 3,100,000 1,918,193,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ............... ................
=======================================================================================================================
Federal Highway Administration:
Motor carrier safety grants
(obligation limitation).... 77,225,000 ............... ............... ............... ............... 1,000 77,224,000
Limitation on general
operating expenses......... 509,660,000 (1,658,000) ............... (14,003,000) ............... (756,000) 509,660,000
Federal-aid Highways
(obligation limitation) \7\ 17,550,000,000 1,692,073 4,427 14,192,000 ............... 1,146,000 17,532,965,500
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 1,692,073 4,427 14,192,000 ............... 1,147,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration:
Operations and research
(general).................. 73,316,570 232,947 103 1,442,550 ............... 140,000 71,500,970
Operations and research
(trust).................... 51,884,430 161,950 ............... 1,002,450 ............... 66,000 50,654,030
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 394,897 103 2,445,000 ............... 206,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
Federal Railroad Administration:
Office of the Administrator. 14,018,000 78,000 2,000 274,000 ............... \3\ (28,000) 13,664,000
Railroad Safety............. 49,919,000 46,900 4,100 240,000 ............... 70,000 49,558,000
Railroad research and
development................ 24,550,000 9,000 ............... 426,000 ............... \8\ 34,000 24,081,000
Northeast corridor program.. 115,000,000 ............... ............... ............... ............... 6,000 114,994,000
Next generation high-speed
rail....................... 19,205,000 1,000 ............... 53,000 ............... \9\ 24,000 19,127,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 134,900 6,100 993,000 ............... 134,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
Federal Transit Administration:
Administrative expenses..... 42,000,000 377,857 143 900,000 ............... ............... 40,722,000
Formula grants (general and
trust) \4\................. 2,052,925,000 ............... ............... 950,000 ............... 147,000 2,051,828,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 377,857 143 1,850,000 ............... 147,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
St. Lawrence Seaway Development
Corporation: Operations and
maintenance.................... 10,150,000 16,000 ............... 570,000 ............... 15,000 9,549,000
=======================================================================================================================
Research and Special Programs
Administration:
Research and special
Programs................... 23,937,000 143,000 2,000 242,000 ............... ............... 23,550,000
Pipeline Safety............. 31,448,000 81,000 1,000 131,000 ............... 65,000 31,170,000
Emergency Preparedness
Grants (limitation)........ 8,890,000 ............... ............... 9,000 ............... ............... ................
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................. ............... 224,000 3,000 382,000 ............... 65,000 ................
=======================================================================================================================
Office of Inspector General:
Salaries and expenses.......... 40,238,000 67,996 4 1,386,000 ............... 57,000 38,727,000
=======================================================================================================================
Bureau of Transportation
Statistics \7\................. 2,200,000 (34,073) (4,427) (189,000) ............... 3,000 2,197,000
=======================================================================================================================
Surface Transportation Board:
Salaries and expen- ses....... 8,421,000 ............... ............... ............... ............... 7,000 8,414,000
=======================================================================================================================
Total reductions,
Department of
Transportation........... ............... 7,506,000 746,852 25,000,000 13,590,000 \10\ 8,618,000 ................
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Reductions due to Public Law 104-50.
\2\ Reductions due to Public Law 104-134.
\3\ From unobligated balance.
\4\ Reductions taken from general fund appropriation.
\5\ An additional $46,410,000 rescission from unobligated balances for a total of $60,000,000.
\6\ An additional $5,711,000 rescisssion from unobligated balances for a total of $8,811,000.
\7\ BTS reductions in parentheses included under Federal-aid highways.
\8\ An additional $5,000 rescission from unobligated balances for a total of $39,000.
\9\ An additional $2,000 rescission from unobligated balances for a total of $26,000.
\10\ An additional $6,426,000 unobligated balances (footnotes 3, 6, 8, and 9 above) and $162,000 from MARAD ocean freight differential for a Department
of Transportation total of $15,026,000.
Asset sales.--The Coast Guard and FAA, like many other
agencies, are reorganizing and downsizing while providing
critical services to the public at less cost. Both the Senate
and House of Representatives, in their respective versions of
the concurrent resolution on the budget for 1996, indicated
clear support for seeking a change in the rules that currently
do not allow agencies to obtain budgetary credit for the sale
of governmental assets.
The Committee believes that the Coast Guard, the FAA, and
the Government as a whole, would benefit substantially if
allowed budgetary credit for property they expect to excess as
part of downsizing efforts. The President's fiscal year 1997
budget includes asset sales in the Coast Guard to be credited
as an offsetting collection. Clearly, there is the potential
for a very positive benefit if the Coast Guard and the FAA are
permitted to receive credit for the value of excessed property.
U.S. COAST GUARD
Summary of Fiscal Year 1997 Program
The U.S. Coast Guard, as it is known today, was established
on January 28, 1915, through the merger of the Revenue Cutter
Service and the Lifesaving Service. In 1939, the U.S.
Lighthouse Service was transferred to the Coast Guard, followed
by the Bureau of Marine Inspection and Navigation in 1942. The
Coast Guard has as its primary responsibilities the enforcement
of all applicable Federal laws on the high seas and waters
subject to the jurisdiction of the United States; promotion of
safety of life and property at sea; assistance to navigation;
protection of the marine environment; and maintenance of a
state of readiness to function as a specialized service in the
Navy in time of war (14 U.S.C. 1, 2).
The Committee recommends a total program level of
$3,762,934,000 for the activities of the Coast Guard in fiscal
year 1997. The following table summarizes the Committee's
recommendations:
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
Program 1996 enacted Fiscal year House Committee
\1\ 1997 estimate allowance recommendations
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating expenses............................. \2\ 2,578,991 \3\ 2,637,850 2,609,100 \4\ 2,631,350
Acquisition, construction, and improvements.... 362,375 \5\ 411,600 \5\ 354,245 \6\ 395,060
Environmental compliance and restoration....... 21,000 25,000 21,000 23,000
Port safety development........................ 15,000 .............. .............. ...............
Alteration of bridges.......................... 16,000 2,000 16,000 10,000
Retired pay.................................... 582,022 608,084 608,084 608,084
Reserve training............................... 62,000 65,890 65,890 65,890
Research, development, test, and evaluation.... 18,000 20,300 19,000 19,550
Boat safety.................................... 20,000 .............. 35,000 10,000
----------------------------------------------------------------
Total.................................... 3,675,388 3,770,724 3,728,319 3,762,934
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Excludes reductions pursuant to sections 327 and 335 of Public Law 104-50 and section 31002 of Public Law
104-134.
\2\ Includes $300,000,000 in Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 1996.
\3\ Includes $118,500,000 from defense discretionary funds.
\4\ Includes $300,000,000 in Department of Defense appropriations.
\5\ This amount would be reduced $20,000,000 under proposed asset sales.
\6\ Includes $1,960,000 in reprogramming of prior-year funding.
Operating Expenses
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Trust Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 1996 \1\.................................. $2,533,991,000 $45,000,000 $2,578,991,000
Budget estimate, 1997 \2\................................. 2,612,850,000 25,000,000 2,637,850,000
House allowance........................................... 2,584,100,000 25,000,000 2,609,100,000
Committee recommendation \1\.............................. 2,606,350,000 25,000,000 2,631,350,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes $300,000,000 by transfer from the Department of Defense.
\2\ Includes $118,500,000 from defense discretionary funds.
The ``Operating expenses'' appropriation provides funds for
the operation and maintenance of multipurpose vessels,
aircraft, and shore units strategically located along the
coasts and inland waterways of the United States and in
selected areas overseas.
The program activities of this appropriation fall into the
following categories:
Search and rescue.--One of its earliest and most
traditional missions, the Coast Guard maintains a nationwide
system of boats, aircraft, cutters, and rescue coordination
centers on 24-hour alert.
Aids to navigation.--To help mariners determine their
location and avoid accidents, the Coast Guard maintains a
network of manned and unmanned aids to navigation along our
coasts and on our inland waterways, and operates radio stations
in the United States and abroad to serve the needs of the armed
services and marine and air commerce.
Marine safety.--The Coast Guard insures compliance with
Federal statutes and regulations designed to improve safety in
the merchant marine industry and operates a recreational
boating safety program.
Marine environmental protection.--The primary objectives of
this program are to minimize the dangers of marine pollution
and to assure the safety of U.S. ports and waterways.
Enforcement of laws and treaties.--The Coast Guard is the
principal maritime enforcement agency with regard to Federal
laws on the navigable waters of the United States and the high
seas, including fisheries, drug smuggling, illegal immigration,
and hijacking of vessels.
Ice operations.--In the Arctic and Antarctic, Coast Guard
icebreakers escort supply ships, support research activities
and Department of Defense operations, survey uncharted waters,
and collect scientific data. The Coast Guard also assists
commercial vessels through ice-covered waters.
Defense readiness.--During peacetime the Coast Guard
maintains an effective state of military preparedness to
operate as a service in the Navy in time of war or national
emergency at the direction of the President. As such the Coast
Guard has primary responsibility for the security of ports,
waterways, and navigable waters up to 200 miles offshore.
committee funding recommendation
The Committee recommendation for Coast Guard operating
expenses is $2,631,350,000, including $25,000,000 from the
oilspill liability trust fund and $300,000,000 from the Defense
appropriations bill for national security missions.
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year
1996 Budget House Committee
enacted request allowance recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pay and allowances:
Military pay and benefits............................ 1,206,924 1,225,850 1,225,850 1,225,850
Civilian pay and benefits............................ 176,833 180,221 180,221 180,221
Permanent change of station.......................... 58,513 57,871 57,871 57,871
Medical care and equipment........................... 119,966 117,938 117,938 117,938
Leased housing....................................... 14,900 15,976 15,976 15,976
Activitywide adjustments............................. ........... ........... ........... -3
------------------------------------------------------
Total, pay and allowances.......................... 1,577,136 1,597,856 1,597,856 1,597,853
======================================================
Depot level maintenance:
Aircraft............................................. 139,456 144,890 144,890 144,890
Electronics.......................................... 31,746 35,276 35,276 35,276
Shore facilities..................................... 93,671 96,163 96,163 96,163
Vessels.............................................. 97,416 99,915 99,915 99,915
Program reestimate................................... ........... ........... -14,307 ..............
------------------------------------------------------
Total, depot level maintenance..................... 362,289 376,244 361,937 376,244
======================================================
Operations and support:
Area operations and support:
Cutters:
Medium endurance (WMEC)...................... 16,922 17,999 17,999 17,999
High endurance (WHEC)........................ 10,917 11,839 11,839 11,839
Polar WAGB's................................. 2,047 2,065 2,065 2,065
Area offices..................................... 11,416 12,307 12,307 12,307
Maintenance and logistics com- mands............ 123,885 123,413 121,663 123,413
Communication stations........................... 3,306 3,586 3,586 3,586
District operations and support:
District offices................................. 53,237 57,726 54,037 55,880
Groups/bases..................................... 67,307 75,170 75,170 75,170
Combined group/air station....................... 9,370 10,010 10,010 10,010
Air stations..................................... 44,553 45,726 45,726 45,726
Marine safety offices............................ 8,563 9,992 9,992 9,992
Long-range electronic navaids (Loran)........... 6,189 6,337 6,337 6,337
Cutters-WLB's and smaller; Mack- inaw........... 29,247 31,995 31,995 31,995
Vessel traffic service [VTS] systems............. 245 243 243 243
Ammunition and small arms............................ 4,667 4,667 2,667 3,500
------------------------------------------------------
Total, operations and support...................... 391,871 413,075 405,636 410,062
======================================================
Recruiting and training support:
Recruiting........................................... 5,651 5,717 5,717 5,717
Training centers..................................... 26,243 26,531 26,531 26,531
Coast Guard Academy.................................. 12,579 12,685 12,685 12,685
Professional training and education.................. 24,162 23,496 21,496 22,496
------------------------------------------------------
Total, recruiting and training support............. 68,635 68,429 66,429 67,429
======================================================
Coast Guard-wide centralized services and support:
Headquarters-managed units:
Engineering Logistics Center..................... 7,868 7,931 7,931 7,931
Finance center................................... 4,764 4,840 4,840 4,840
Military pay and personnel center................ 1,202 1,221 1,221 1,221
Coast Guard yard................................. 1,902 1,929 1,929 1,929
National Strike Force............................ 2,744 2,870 2,870 2,870
National Pollution Funds Center.................. 1,190 1,209 1,209 1,209
COMDAC support facility.......................... 1,971 2,407 2,407 2,407
Air station Washington, DC....................... 917 932 932 932
Operations Systems Center........................ 6,894 7,005 7,005 7,005
Telecommunications/information systems command... 3,344 3,397 3,397 3,397
Navigation Center................................ 772 784 784 784
Intelligence Coordination Center................. 231 235 235 235
Electronics Engineering Center................... 4,225 6,630 6,630 5,325
Coast Guard Institute............................ 757 769 769 769
Research and Development Center.................. 433 440 440 440
Coast Guard Personnel Center..................... 808 821 821 821
National Maritime Center......................... 3,128 3,108 3,108 3,108
Headquarters......................................... 105,359 106,268 106,268 106,268
Centralized bill paying:
Postal........................................... 6,674 6,181 6,181 6,181
FTS.............................................. 11,160 11,339 11,339 11,160
Federal employment compensation.................. 6,243 6,652 6,652 6,652
Unemployment compensation........................ 4,546 5,278 5,278 5,278
------------------------------------------------------
Total, Coast Guard-wide centralized services
and support................................... 177,132 182,246 182,246 180,762
======================================================
Total, accountwide adjustments................. -3,061 ........... -5,004 -1,000
======================================================
Total appropriation............................ 2,578,991 2,637,850 2,609,100 2,631,350
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note.--Fiscal year 1996 enacted and fiscal year 1997 Committee recommendation includes $300,000,000 provided by
transfer from the Department of Defense.
PAY AND ALLOWANCES
Medical care and equipment.--The Committee has provided the
full amount requested for medical care and equipment, which is
the same as that provided by the House. The Committee feels
that the Coast Guard has done a good job to keep its medical
care and equipment line item under budget. In fact, this
account has seen a slight decrease from the amount of resources
required in fiscal year 1996.
Activitywide adjustments.--The Committee has provided the
requested amounts for each of the individual subactivities
under the pay and allowances activity. However, to the overall
account, the Committee is recommending a $3,000 activitywide
cut which reflects a reduction from the bonuses and awards line
item, which affects the Coast Guard accountwide.
DEPOT LEVEL MAINTENANCE
The Coast Guard request for $14,307,000 for nonrecurring
maintenance funding is required to restore one-time
streamlining costs for the Coast Guard's aeronautical,
electronic, and civil engineering programs. In order to achieve
the savings the Coast Guard needed in fiscal year 1997, much of
the costs to execute the major streamlining initiatives had to
be funded in fiscal year 1996, in large part by nonrecurring
deferrals from depot-level maintenance accounts. These costs
include civilian severance expenses, extraordinary personnel,
and equipment reallocations, as well as the immediate facility
modification and upgrades essential to accommodate streamlining
relocation initiatives.
The one-time funding request for fiscal year 1997 will
allow for a timely completion of priority projects which affect
the readiness availability of ships, aircraft, and other
operational assets. Examples of deferred projects are the HH-60
helicopter main rotor blade tip cap retrofit project, small
boat electronic equipment standardization, and Group North Bend
underground storage tank replacement. Loss of these funds would
force the beginning of a multiyear cycle of deferral to the
detriment of efficient operational service deliveries.
OPERATIONS AND SUPPORT
Area operations and support
Maintenance and logistics commands.--The Committee has
provided the full amount requested for the maintenance and
logistics commands, which is a $1,750,000 increase over the
House allowance. Even at the fiscal year 1997 requested level,
the funding provided by the Committee is slightly less than the
fiscal year 1996 enacted level. A cut to the maintenance and
logistics command category, which essentially manages and funds
support activities for all Coast Guard units performing
operational missions, would constitute an across-the-board cut
to operational field units.
District operations and support/district offices
District offices.--The Committee has provided a total of
$55,880,000 for district offices, which is $1,843,000 above the
House's recommendation. The Committee believes that, even
though the Coast Guard is in the process of eliminating two
district offices as part of its overall streamlining plan,
sufficient funding is necessary because the immediate savings
will not be realized to the extent estimated under the House's
funding level. The funding level provided is 5 percent above
the fiscal year 1996 level, which is slightly below the 8-
percent increase that was requested in the administration's
budget.
Ammunition and small arms
The Committee has provided $3,500,000 for the ammunition
and small arms subaccount, which is $833,000 more than that
recommended by the House. The Committee understands that there
has been some downsizing in the ammunition and small arms needs
because of changes in the Coast Guard's military readiness
plans. However, proper levels of ammunition and small arms
maintenance are critical for accomplishing the Coast Guard's
law enforcement mission and keeping Coast Guard personnel
trained and qualified in safe operation of small arms.
RECRUITING AND TRAINING SUPPORT
The recruiting and training support category has several
subsets, including recruiting, training centers (Yorktown, VA;
Petaluma, CA; and Cape May, NJ), the Coast Guard Academy, and
professional training and education. The Committee has provided
$1,000,000 less than the amount requested. The Committee has,
however, restored $1,000,000 back to the professional training
and education activity which was reduced $2,000,000 in the
House's recommendation. The Committee believes that the Coast
Guard has done a good job in trying to hold costs down, and
though its budget for professional training and education is
sizable, at the $22,496,000 recommended by the Committee,
further cuts are not necessary at this time.
CENTRALIZED SERVICES AND SUPPORT
The centralized services and support line item includes a
number of individual activities. The Committee has provided
$180,762,000 overall for centralized services and support, a
reduction of $1,484,000 from the requested level (less than 1
percent). The reductions in this activity include a reduction
of $179,000 from the FTS 2000 telecommunications request; and a
$1,305,000 reduction from the electronics engineering center,
but still provides a 26-percent increase over the fiscal year
1996 level for this subactivity.
ACCOUNTWIDE ADJUSTMENTS
Because of budget constraints, the Committee found it
necessary to impose an accountwide adjustment for Coast Guard
operations. The Committee agrees with the specific
recommendation of the House, which includes a nonoperational
travel reduction of $1,000,000.
BILL LANGUAGE
Employment reductions.--The Committee has included bill
language, which is carried over from prior appropriations acts,
which specifies that the Commandant shall reduce both military
and civilian employment for the purpose of complying with
Executive Order 12839. This language was also included by the
House.
National security.--The Committee's recommendation includes
$300,000,000 transferred from the Department of Defense for
Coast Guard support of national security activities. The Coast
Guard plays a key role in support of military missions under
the U.S. Atlantic and Southern Commands in support of drug
interdiction missions, refugee and immigration support, and
enforcement and joint military training.
The Coast Guard is a cost-effective force which is
multimissioned. Its ships, aircraft, shore units, and people
have four primary roles: maritime safety, maritime law
enforcement, marine environmental protection, and national
defense. These roles are complementary and contribute to the
Coast Guard's unique niche within the national security
community. The value of the Coast Guard forces and their
mission experience was clearly evident by their active
participation in Operations Desert Shield/Storm in Iraq, and
more recently, in operations restore/uphold democracy in Haiti.
The Coast Guard is one of the five Armed Forces, and is a full
partner on the joint national security team. To be a credible
partner, the Coast Guard must maintain a high state of
operational readiness. Many parts of the Coast Guard's budget
contain funding requests that, if cut, would severely impair
the Coast Guard's operational readiness and, therefore, its
ability to meet national security commitments.
GENERAL PROVISIONS
Vessel traffic safety fairway, Santa Barbara/San
Francisco.--The Committee has included a general provision
(sec. 313) that would prohibit funds to plan, finalize, or
implement regulations establishing a vessel traffic safety
fairway which is less than 5 miles wide between the Santa
Barbara vessel traffic separation scheme and the San Francisco
vessel traffic separation scheme. This language has been
included in previous appropriations bills, and was also
included in the House's general provisions (sec. 313) bill
language.
Conveyance of lighthouse, Montauk Point, NY.--The Committee
has struck the House's general provision (sec. 339) which would
require the Secretary of Transportation to convey to the
Montauk Historical Association the U.S. Government's interests
in the light station Montauk Point, which is located in
Montauk, NY. The House has incorporated by reference a
provision of the Coast Guard Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
1996 which passed the House of Representatives on May 9, 1995.
The Committee believes that, since this legislation is in
conference with the Senate's version of the Coast Guard
Authorization Act, there is no need for inclusion of this
general provision in the appropriations bill, and, therefore,
has deleted the provision, which was not requested by the
administration.
OTHER
Vessel traffic systems [VTS].--The Committee concurs with
the House's direction that the Coast Guard should more fully
examine the implementation costs associated with the vessel
traffic service VTS 2000 program. Based on General Accounting
Office reports, the costs of operating the vessel traffic
system would approach approximately $65,000,000 a year, versus
the current cost of almost $20,000,000. In addition, it will
take significant capital resources to install the equipment in
the currently envisioned VTS 2000 program.
In light of the GAO's earlier report on VTS 2000 costs of
$310,000,000 to establish and $65,000,000 to operate, the
Committee emphatically directs the Coast Guard to review its
plans for VTS, including the institution of user fees whereby
users would pay the bill for the service provided. Given the
budget situation, the Committee cannot support taking on new
responsibilities where services are provided free to the users.
The Committee believes it would be wise to study how this
system could be developed through a public sector/private
sector partnership. As each port is different, privatization
may not be the proper model for all the ports in the Coast
Guard's plans. However, given the success of the Los Angeles-
Long Beach system, which is funded on fees based on size of
ships, and is staffed by both civilians and Coast Guard
personnel, it appears that this is an excellent model to study
and possibly apply to the rest of the VTS 2000 ports.
Marine Fire and Safety Association.--The Committee remains
supportive of efforts by the Marine Fire and Safety Association
[MFSA] to provide specialized fire fighting training and
maintain an oilspill response contingency plan for the Columbia
River. The Committee encourages the Secretary to provide
funding for MFSA consistent with the authorization and directs
the Secretary to provide $297,000 to continue efforts by the
Maritime Fire and Safety Administration to provide specialized
communications, fire fighting training and equipment, and to
implement the oilspill response contingency plan for the
Columbia River.
Abandoned barges, Houston, TX.--The House has included
$2,000,000 for the Coast Guard's removal of abandoned barges in
the Houston ship channel and the San Jacinto River, and further
directs that this funding is to be used only for that purpose.
It does not appear to the Committee that an additional
$2,000,000 has been included by the House for this activity and
assumes that this money would need to come out of the regular
operating expenses of the Coast Guard. The Committee takes
exception to the earmarking of a specific amount of funds to be
used exclusively for this purpose, and expects that the Coast
Guard will, at its discretion, remove what abandoned barges in
this area and in other areas of the country that it deems
obstructions to navigation and as causing unsafe conditions.
The Committee objects to earmarking a specific amount of
funding for this purpose for one specific site over all others.
The Committee directs the Coast Guard to identify alternatives
for removal in consultation with the Army Corps of Engineers
which is the Agency usually responsible for keeping harbors and
ports navigable.
Defense readiness.--Within the overall funding provided for
drug interdiction activities ($328,000,000), the House has
specifically earmarked funding of $34,000,000, based on a House
Government Reform and Oversight Committee report. While the
Committee may agree that the identified activities are of a
high priority, it believes that the Commandant may take the
House's recommendation under advisement, since it appears that
several of the activities are outdated missions. However, it
should be left to the Commandant's discretion how the drug
interdiction funding is to be distributed, and, therefore, the
Committee objects to the House's earmarking within this
activity.
Coast Guard auxiliary.--The House encouraged the Coast
Guard to continue to provide adequate funding for auxiliary
support, and was concerned about the adequacy of the
President's $10,000,000 request. However, the Committee
understands that the reduction of $1,500,000 from the fiscal
year 1996 level in management funds associated with the
auxiliary program is the result of business decisions resulting
in reorganizations, reductions in overhead, and leveraging
technology. Further, the Committee understands that the reduced
request for fiscal year 1997 funding in no way results from a
devaluation of, or reduction in the services provided by the
Coast Guard auxiliary. The auxiliary's 35,000 volunteers
provide a tremendous service to the recreational boating public
nationwide. In 1995, the auxiliary saved about 400 lives,
assisted another 20,000 people, and educated 330,000 people
through boating education courses. In the Pacific Northwest
region alone, they saved 15 lives, assisted another 800 people,
and educated 22,000 people--including over 11,000 children. The
Coast Guard auxiliary is an effective force multiplier for
their parent services.
Acquisition, Construction, and Improvements
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Trust Total
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appropriations, 1996............................................ $329,875,000 $32,500,000 $362,375,000
Budget estimate, 1997........................................... 391,600,000 20,000,000 \1\411,600,000
House allowance................................................. 338,000,000 20,000,000 \2\ 358,000,00
0
Rescission.................................................. .............. .............. (3,755,000)
Committee recommendation \3\.................................... 375,060,000 20,000,000 395,060,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes estimated receipts of $20,000,000 from sale of Coast Guard property in Wildwood, NJ.
\2\ Excludes $29,600,000 in proposed asset sales.
\3\ Includes $1,960,000 of reprogrammed prior year funds.
This appropriation provides for the major acquisition,
construction, and improvement of vessels, aircraft, shore
units, and aids to navigation operated and maintained by the
Coast Guard. Currently, the Coast Guard has in operation
approximately 250 cutters, ranging in size from 65-foot tugs to
399-foot polar icebreakers, more than 2,000 boats, and an
inventory of more than 200 helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
The Coast Guard also operates approximately 600 stations,
support and supply centers, communications facilities, and
other shore units. The Coast Guard provides over 48,000
navigational aids--buoys, fixed aids, lighthouses, and radio
navigational stations.
committee recommendation
The following table summarizes the Committee's programmatic
recommendations:
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year Fiscal year House program Committee
1996 enacted 1997 estimate level allowance recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vessels..................................... 167,600 237,000 205,600 227,960
Aircraft.................................... 12,000 21,400 18,300 \1\ 19,400
Other equipment............................. 49,200 46,700 39,900 46,200
Shore facilities and aids to navigation..... 88,875 59,500 47,950 \2\ 54,500
Personnel and related support............... 44,700 47,000 46,250 47,000
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Total................................. 362,375 411,600 358,000 395,060
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Of this amount, $360,000 is from reprogramming prior-year funds.
\2\ Of this amount, $1,600,000 is from reprogramming prior-year funds.
vessels
The Committee recommends $227,960,000 for vessel
acquisition and improvement. The projected allocation of these
funds is shown in the table below:
VESSELS
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year House Committee
1997 estimate allowance recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Acquire vessels and equipment:
Seagoing buoy tender [WLB] replacement...................... 59,500 50,000 59,000
Coastal buoy tender [WLM] replacement....................... 80,000 74,000 76,860
47-foot motor lifeboat [MLB] replacement project............ 26,000 26,000 26,000
82-foot WPB capability replacement.......................... 37,800 35,000 33,100
Follow-on for polar icebreaker replacement.................. 4,000 4,000 4,000
Buoy boat replacement project............................... 8,500 .............. 7,800
Survey and design--cutters and boats........................ 500 500 500
Configuration management.................................... 3,500 3,500 3,500
Surface search radar replacement project.................... 8,600 4,000 8,600
Motor surfboard [MSB] replacement........................... 1,100 1,100 1,100
Repair, renovate, or improve existing vessels and small boats:
210-foot medium-endurance cutter [WMEC], major maintenance
availability [MMA]......................................... 2,500 2,500 2,500
Polar class icebreaker reliability improvement project [RIP] 5,000 5,000 5,000
-----------------------------------------------
Total (new program level)............................... 237,000 205,600 227,960
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seagoing buoy tender [WLB] replacement.--The Coast Guard
plans to replace its 50-year-old fleet of seagoing buoy tenders
with up to 16 new tenders. The request of $59,500,000 for
fiscal year 1997 is to pay for the award of the first
production ship, and to cover additional costs such as the cost
of change orders and product escalation for the third, fourth,
and fifth option ships. According to recent estimates, the
contract for the first production ship will be awarded late in
fiscal year 1997. The House recommended $50,000,000 for this
project. According to recent estimates, however, this amount by
itself will not be enough for the Coast Guard to award the
production contract in fiscal year 1997, even if the bids are
received at the low end of the Government's cost estimates.
Based on the estimate that this project will have some
carryover at the end of fiscal year 1996, the Committee has
reduced the fiscal year 1997 level by $500,000, which is
$9,000,000 above the House's allowance.
Coastal buoy tender [WLM] replacement.--The Committee has
provided $76,860,000 for the coastal buoy tender replacement
program. This program replaces the Coast Guard's existing 133-
foot and 157-foot coastal buoy tenders with 14 new ships. The
Coast Guard's request of $80,000,000 for fiscal year 1997 was
to procure four new buoy tenders. Based on recent information
on the 1997 spending plans, it appears that the Coast Guard
should have $3,140,000 in unobligated carryovers that could be
used in fiscal year 1997 against this request. Therefore, the
Committee has reduced the funding level by that amount. The
House had made a similar type of reduction to $74,000,000 based
on a large unobligated balance in the account.
Coastal patrol boat/82-foot WPB replacement.--The Committee
has provided $33,100,000 for the coastal patrol boat
replacement program, which is a $700,000 reduction from the
amount requested for fiscal year 1997. This program would
replace the 82-foot coastal patrol boats which are over 30
years old with 31 new boats. The request for fiscal year 1997
was to procure six new boats. However, in a review of the
fiscal year 1997 spending plans, it appears as though the Coast
Guard can only obligate $33,100,000 of its original fiscal year
1997 request. This is because the contractor's bid came in
lower than originally estimated by the Coast Guard. Therefore,
the Committee's reduction should not impair or slow this
program.
Buoy boat replacement project.--The Coast Guard had
originally requested $8,500,000 in fiscal year 1997 to procure
five new buoy boats. Based on review of the 1997 spending
plans, it appears that the Coast Guard will have available in
1997 approximately $700,000 in unobligated carryovers that
could be used for the five new boat procurements. Therefore,
the Committee has reduced the request by that amount, and
recommends a level of $7,800,000. The House allowance included
no funding for this program, citing slippages in the program
due to termination of a boat building contract last year, and
believes that unobligated funds should be sufficient to
maintain the program during fiscal year 1997. However, in order
to stabilize the Coast Guard yard's work force so there will be
no break in production, the Committee has provided funding at
$7,800,000.
aircraft
For aircraft procurement, the Committee recommends
$19,400,000. Of this amount, $360,000 is made available through
reprogrammed resources. Funds for aircraft acquisitions are
distributed as follows:
AIRCRAFT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year House Committee
1997 estimate allowance recommendation \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Traffic alert and collision avoidance system [TCAS]--phase
IV......................................................... 5,700 5,700 5,700
Global positioning system installation--phase VII........... 2,900 1,900 1,900
HC-130 engine conversion.................................... 8,800 6,800 7,800
HH-65A helicopter kapton rewiring........................... 2,000 3,500 2,000
HH-65A helicopter mission computer unit replacement......... 2,000 2,000 2,000
Asset sales \2\............................................. .............. -1,600 ..................
---------------------------------------------------
Total................................................. 21,400 18,300 19,400
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Of this amount, $360,000 is from reprogramming of HH-65 gearbox funding originally provided in fiscal year
1995.
\2\ Offsets from VC-11A sale ($600,000) and HU-25 sale ($1,000,000).
Global positioning system installation, phase VII.--The
Committee has provided $1,900,000 for the global positioning
system [GPS] installation, which is the same amount recommended
by the House. This is the same level of funding that was
provided for GPS installation in fiscal year 1996.
HC-130 engine conversion.--The Committee has provided
$7,800,000 for the HC-130 engine conversion program, which is
$1,000,000 less than that requested, but $1,000,000 more than
provided by the House. This program seeks to improve the
reliability of the C-130's and T-56 engines through an upgrade
to a new series 3 engine version. The fiscal year 1997 request
was to cover the production and installation of 22 conversion
kits. This funding level would slow that program down only
slightly, in that the program will be phased in over 3 years.
HH-65 helicopter kapton rewiring.--The Committee has
provided the full amount requested for the HH-65 helicopter
kapton rewiring program, which is $1,500,000 less than that
recommended by the House, which directed the Coast Guard to
implement a faster replacement schedule.
Asset sales.--The Committee has not reduced the overall
funding level for aircraft procurement by assuming offsets from
the VC-11A sale ($600,000), and the HU-25 sale ($1,000,000), as
assumed by the House.
Reprogrammings.--Of the amount provided for the aircraft
procurement, $360,000 is from reprogramming of funds originally
provided in fiscal year 1995 for the HH-65 transmission gearbox
upgrade. It appears as though, after the conclusion of this
program, there will remain available at least $360,000 from
prior-year funds that could be used to offset the aircraft
funding level in fiscal year 1997.
other equipment
The Committee recommends $46,200,000. The following table
displays the project allocation:
OTHER EQUIPMENT
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year House Committee
1997 estimate allowance recommendation
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fleet logistics system [FLS].................................... 9,300 9,300 9,300
Marine information for safety and law enforcement [MISLE]....... 5,000 5,000 5,000
Global maritime distress/safety system--phase V................. 700 700 700
Vessel traffic services [VTS] 2000.............................. 6,000 .............. 5,500
Conversion of software applications............................. 6,000 6,000 6,000
Finance Center information system replacement................... 2,100 2,100 2,100
Communication system [COMMSYS] 2000............................. 4,000 4,000 4,000
Seagoing buoy tender [WLB] and coastal buoy tender [WLM] support
facility....................................................... 1,800 1,800 1,800
Personnel management information system/joint uniform military
pay system II.................................................. 1,600 800 1,600
Aviation logistics management information system [ALMIS]........ 4,800 4,800 4,800
National distress system modernization.......................... 1,000 1,000 1,000
VHF-FM high level site upgrade--phase III....................... 4,400 4,400 4,400
-----------------------------------------------
Total..................................................... 46,700 39,900 46,200
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Vessel traffic services [VTS] 2000.--The Committee has
reviewed the findings and recommendations of the Marine Board
report and directs the Coast Guard to examine options for the
first operational vessel traffic services [VTS] 2000 system
that minimizes the complexity necessary to prove the VTS 2000
concept. The Committee has long held the view that the scope of
the VTS 2000 project is too broad. The Coast Guard's plan for a
national VTS system should be reflective of the Marine Board's
proposal for a baseline system and phased implementation, which
will reduce acquisition cost and risk. This plan should include
outreach efforts with the maritime community and other
appropriate stakeholders. The Coast Guard shall also ensure
that VTS 2000 will be based on an open system architecture
maximizing use of commercial off-the-shelf equipment. The
unobligated balances of all funds appropriated to the VTS 2000
project in prior years shall remain available for project
expenditures.
Personnel management information system.--The Committee has
provided the full amount requested.
shore facilities and aids to navigation
The program level recommended is $54,500,000. Within this
amount, $1,600,000 is made available through reprogrammed
resources. The following table displays the project allocation:
SHORE FACILITIES AND AIDS TO NAVIGATION
[In thousands of dollars]
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fiscal year House Committee
1997 estimate allowance recommendation \1\
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shore--General:
Survey and design shore projects........................ 6,000 6,000 6,000
Minor AC&I shore construction projects.................. 4,000 4,000 4,000
Shore--Air stations: Mid-Atlantic Air Station consolidation
projects--phase II......................................... 1,300 1,300 1,300
Shore--Supply centers/support centers/yard: Baltimore, MD--
Coast Guard yard land-based ship handling facility......... 4,950 3,950 4,950
Support center Portsmouth--upgrade painting/sandblast
facility................................................... 2,550 2,000 2,550
Support center San Pedro--construct medical facility........ 3,700 3,700 3,700
Shore--Personnel support facilities: Public family quarters. 12,000 12,000 12,000
Shore--Groups/bases/stations/MSO's:
Station Juneau--renovate/expand station facili- ties... 2,000 2,000 2,000
Station Sabine--reconstruct/expand waterfront facilities 4,000 4,000 4,000
Coast Guard cutter Chippewa and Coast Guard cutter
Obion--relocate Owensboro moorings..................... 2,000 2,000 2,000
Base, San Juan, PR--reconstruction phase II............. 12,000 10,000 7,000
Aids to navigation facilities: Waterways aids-to-navigation
projects................................................... 5,000 5,000 5,000
Asset sales \2\............................................. .............. -8,000 ..................
---------------------------------------------------
Total................................................. 59,500 47,950 54,500
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Includes $1,600,000 reprogramming of prior year's funding.
\2\ Sale of Upolu Point, HI, loran station site.
Cove Point Lighthouse, Maryland.--Within the account for
minor AC&I construction projects, $90,000 is made available for
repairs to the Cove Point Lighthouse, Maryland.
Coast Guard yard land-based ship handling facility.--The
Committee has provided the full amount for the Coast Guard ship
handling facility in Baltimore, MD, which is $4,950,000.
Providing the full amount requested for this facility results
in an appropriation that is $1,000,000 above the House
recommendation. The Coast Guard, in consultation with the
Appropriations Committees, has phased this project over a
period of time, which is of critical importance to the Coast
Guard and its ability to maintain, renovate, and modernize
their existing ships. Funding for this activity will be used
for the purchase of lift equipment and associated waterfront
work. Funding in fiscal year 1997 will be used for land-based
work associated with this project, and the Committee believes
it is necessary to provide the full amount requested for the
project to proceed in an orderly manner.
Base San Juan, PR--reconstruction phase II.--The Committee
has provided $7,000,000 for the San Juan, PR, base
reconstruct |
