>Message authorized by:
>    : xxxxxx@magnum.mco.edu_at_internet at X400PO
>          The NBS is a Dept of Interior (DOI) coordinating operation
>          for some research and data banks.  It is not a new Federal
>          agency, although DOI has tried for serveral years to make it
>          one.   Only Congress can form true Federal Agencies.
>          Because it is a DOI operation, it can coordinate research
>          within that agency.  To the extent that other agencies agree
>          with certain of its goals and agree to work with NBS, it can
>          also serve as a focal point for interagency coordination in
>          specific areas.

Just to avoid confusion that may result from an earlier post, the bill that
Interior had been trying to get through in the 103rd Congress, and that met
with Republican resistance,  is, of course, dead at the end of this session,
and given the shakeup in Washington, it's extremely unlikely that anything
similar will be attempted in the 104th.  The DOI NBS office is a different
entity, which simply consolidated a number of already-existing survey-type
activities.

>          DOE and other agencies with spending authority are still
>          authorized to decide whether or not to fund particular
>          research, in areas of their responsibility.  With the recent
>          election outcomes, it is questionable whether or not NBS
>          will continue even within DOI.

Wouldn't NBS activities be attractive to organizations like "Ducks Unlimited?"

____________________________________________________
Randall Legeai (xxxxxx@mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu)
Institutional Program Development & Government/Agency Affairs
Tulane University, 327 Gibson Hall
6823 St. Charles Ave.
New Orleans, Louisiana  USA
(phn) 504/865-5758 ---  (fax) 504/865-5274