Recent Senate Hearing Further Dims Outlook for Santorum Bill

[donsutherland1]

If one carefully examines some of the statements made by Senators Stevens (R-AK), Inouye (D-HI), and Vitter (R-LA) at a September 20 hearing, points were made that the NWS/NHC did a terrific job in forecasting Hurricane Katrina, that NOAA radio is useful, and that the NWS should not face budget cuts. I believe these sentiments, if they continue to be publicized, will effectively bring about the demise of Senator Santorum’s ill-advised effort against the NWS.

Relevant excerpts:

Senator Stevens:
∙ On the NWS/NHC Performance: Director Mayfield you and your people did a marvelous job. I think those people that did get away from that storm really owe their lives to you and the people you work with. We’ve got to find a way to deal with those who can’t get out. That’s one lesson we’ve learned from this. But, as far as the ability to predict and to give the message, I think we now have a sufficient time warning on these storms and I think you’ve just done one tremendous good job. So, I thank you all.

∙ On NOAA Radio: the Weather Bureau has a radio that is quite useful to pilots. I wonder if we ought not see if we couldn’t get that kind of radio back into the average family’s hands. I come from the generation when we only had radio, you know. And, we had a national alert system and we had it tested about every two weeks as I recall. Now everybody has cell phones or computers or God knows what that they’re using for communications. We don’t have a uniform mechanism to contact our people. What do you think about it? Should we find some way to go back to a uniform, it’s one thing to have a uniform alert system, it’s another thing to make sure that people have the facilities to get that. This alert system we are working on will try to fold in all of the means of communications. But, what do you and the broadcasters think about that?

(Dr. C. Patrick Roberts, President of the Florida Association of Broadcasters, appeared to support expanding the concept of NOAA Radio’s alert system to cell phones, responding, “Now, in Florida after Hurricane Andrew, we funded a statewide EAS system. Our governor has two entry points. We have two primary stations in every operation area. Every county has operational equipment. Unfortunately, the country doesn’t have that. Now, fortunately after 9-11, Reynolds Hoover worked with NOAA and uses the National Weather Service, like the NOAA radios, but he’s now able – the National Weather Service is the only federal agency that can activate every single EAS monitor at every radio station, every TV station and every cable outlet. And, I think it would be great if we had the cellular world, Internet, I mean it’s the world where we’re going.”)

Senator Inouye:
∙ On the NWS/NHC Performance: Unlike the tsunami, we were adequately warned of Hurricane Katrina’s ferocity, and I commend our witness, Mr. Max Mayfield, and his colleagues at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) - including those operating NOAA’s all-hazards warning system - for doing an outstanding job. Your forecasting was one of the few aspects of the federal response that can give us any satisfaction, and your success only underscores how important it is that we do everything possible to support your excellent work.

∙ Funding for the NWS should not be cut: Even before Katrina struck, we learned that budget pressures were driving the Administration to reduce hours and personnel in local Weather Forecast Offices in the next budget cycle. That is one plan the President should shelve immediately.

Senator Vitter:
∙ On the NWS/NHC Performance: Due to the great work of Director Max Mayfield and his team at the National Hurricane Center, we knew exactly where Hurricane Katrina was going to make landfall 56 hours before the storm came ashore. That is enough time to drive from New Orleans to New York – twice – with a good night’s sleep both times. Director Mayfield, as you know, hundreds of thousands of Louisianans did load up their families and evacuate. Thank you to you and your team for your hard work.

[The Big Dog]

I wouldn't count on it.

First, one member here posted in a thread that he got a letter back from Vitter, all but saying that he supported 786.

Also... yeah, these senators' comments praise the NHC. But the bill's supporters' position, best to my knowledge, has never been that the NHC isn't doing a good job. Rather, it has been something along the lines of "allowing the NWS to get back to its mission of protecting the public." These comments could be construed as just reinforcing that notion.

By now, we all know that the bill aims to take away the ability of the NWS to bring their final products directly to the public, but it still gives them the authority to issue warnings for the protection of life and property. As a result, 786 now appears to be marketed so that the senators can praise the NHC and support the bill at the same time.

In other words, "The NHC and NWS are doing such a great job! And since we want them to keep doing a great job, we don't want them saddled with the responsibility of having to create these products when there are plenty of private entities out there who are more than willing to do them."

Sen. Stevens' comments about NOAA radio are encouraging, however, since I assume that could be one of the things wiped out by the bill. The rest of it, in my opinion, is inconclusive as to where they stand on 786.