Cord Byrd: “the provision in the bill does not add new spending; rather, it clarifies the allocation of funding provided for coral…”

“the provision in the bill does not add new spending; rather, it clarifies the allocation of funding provided for coral reef mapping in the fiscal year 2002 Commerce-Justice-State and the Judiciary appropriations bill. This amendment directs $2.5 million of the coral reef funds appropriated in fiscal year 2002 for mapping coral reefs in the Hawaiian Island chain and adjacent areas to complement the general mapping currently planned by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. These funds will be used to begin identifying the location, type, and condition of coral reefs throughout the Hawaiian Island chain. This data will be used by resource managers and will provide valuable information for the northwestern Hawaiian Islands sanctuary designation process. This data will also provide a baseline for future monitoring of Pacific coral reefs. The funds will be administered by the National Defense Center of Excellence for Research in Ocean Sciences through a cooperative agreement with NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Established in 1993 with funds from the Department of Defense, CEROS is product oriented and seeks to advance innovative concepts and new approaches to technology while fully leveraging existing facilities and infrastructure in Hawaii. I urge the Senate to vote down the amendment by the Senator from Arizona.”