# Presentation: 287388

## 2006 Legislative Strategy

- Eric Webster
- Director, Office of Legislative Affairs
- November 30, 2005

- or
- “You Can’t Always Get What You Want”

## Overview

- Developing Legislation
- within the Administration
- on the Hill
- The Legislative Process and Strategy for 2006
- NOAA Priorities, Congress’ Priorities
- Strategy for FY07 Budget
- Lessons
- Suggestions

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## Legislative Lessons from Unconventional Teachers:

- Mick Jagger, Rolling Stones, “Can’t always get what you want”:
- You can't always get what you want
- But if you try sometimes, well you just might find
- You get what you need
- 2004 World Champion Boston Red Sox:
- Good base-running can get you further than only trying for homeruns
- 2004 World Champion New England Patriots
- Focus on the basics:  “blocking and tackling”

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## Developing Legislation at NOAA

- Why hasn’t NOAA received much support for legislation it has drafted?
- NOAA Organic Act
- Acquaculture
- Magnuson-Stevens Fisheries Act (not introduced)
- No enough “buy in” from outside community
- why should they, what is in it for them?
- we can’t share language but can discuss priorities/themes/ideas
- What role do each of you see yourself playing to help NOAA succeed in this legislative process?

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## How to Affect the Congressional Legislative Process

- Overall goal is to get a seat at the final table (where backroom deals are cut)
- If you can’t get a seat at the table, can you get into the room?
- If you can’t get in the room, who can, and do they share our priorities?

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## How to Affect the Congressional Legislative Process (contd.)

- What tools do we have to ensure NOAA’s priorities are included in bills moving through Congress?
- Administration drafted legislation
- Technical Drafting Assistance (informal and formal)
- Hearing Witnesses/Meetings with Staff
- Views letters
- Statements of Administration Positions (SAPS)
- Veto
- Finding Interest Groups with similar needs/wants
- Reaching out early and often
- What do they want?  What do we want?  Is there middle ground?
- Do they have a seat at the table, are they in the room?

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## The NOAA FY06 Legislative Strategy

- Priorities for the Administration and Congress:
- Magnuson Stevens Act Reauthorization.  (Senate Commerce priority)
- Endangered Species Act Reauthorization. (House Resources Priority)
- NOAA Organic Act (House Science priority)
- Ocean Observations (Community priority)
- Tsunami bills (House Science and Senate Commerce)
- Aquaculture (anyone’s priority?)
- NOAA Corps (NOAA priority)
- Maybe National Weather Service Authorization (Senate Commerce)
- Overall NOAA Authorization (haven’t had one since 1992 – what does that mean?)
- What does NOAA really want (or need) out of each of these bills?
- What role do each of you see yourself playing to help NOAA succeed in this legislative process?

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## What are the Critical Drivers for 2006

- Authorization levels, budget constraints
- Many of the bills have been acted upon (Committee, floor)
- Ocean Action Plan (brings support of White House)
- GEOSS (top priority for NOAA)
- Hurricanes/Tsuanmis – unknown events
- And (oh yeah), Elections
- What does NOAA really want (or need) out of each of these bills?
- What role do each of you see yourself playing to help NOAA succeed in this legislative process

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"

## The NOAA FY06 Legislative and FY07 Budget Strategy(BUDGET LESSONS LEARNED)

- WHAT ROLE DO EACH OF YOU SEE YOURSELF PLAYING
- TO HELP NOAA ACHIEVE IT’S FY07 LEGISLATIVE and BUDGET STRATEGY?

- The NOAA FY06 Legislative and FY07 Budget Strategy(BUDGET LESSONS LEARNED)

- FY06 Appropriations cycle taught us:
- NOAA needs to build House Champions
- Reliance on Senate was an overly optimistic assumption
- We are in a new era for NOAA—outside pressures (the deficit) will force the need for better justifications.
- Need to explain why programs are important, core capabilities (a.k.a., programs—the second ‘P’ in PPBES)
- Need to have clear and accurate impact statements.
- When FY06 was on House floor we lost $50M—Can it happen again? How can we stop it?
- How can NOAA Legislative Affairs and the Budget Office pool their talents to fight for the President's request?  What is the role of the line offices in this process?  And what about those champions we just talked about?

- 2006 Legislative Strategy or "You Can't Always Get What You Want"