Using input from a broad range of constituencies at the Ocean Conference and other fora, over 10 Cabinet-level departments and independent agencies worked together during the past year to develop the National Ocean Report recommendations. This is the first time the entire Cabinet has presented recommendations on such a broad range of ocean issues and is a major step towards a coordinated, long term U.S. ocean policy for the 21st Century. Today, I conducted a briefing for Donna Rivelli, our backup OMB examiner, on NOS programs and our FY2000 budget request. This briefing will assist Donna with her role in analyzing the NOS FY2001 budget request which will be transmitted to OMB by the Department later this month. One of the meeting highlights will be presentation of the Hammer Awards, EEO Awards, and commendations for the NOS employees that assisted in the search for John F. Kennedy, Jr.'s downed aircraft.
Today marks the beginning of the Labor Day Weekend.
Have a wonderful and safe weekend. I am closing this week grateful that the eastern seaboard was spared from the full force of Hurricane Floyd. NOS facilities received relatively minor damage. I hope that all NOS employees and their families were as lucky and that their homes did not sustain major damage. NOS provided information on capabilities for aerial photography, hydrographic surveys to reopen closed ports, natural resource damage mitigation, real-time water levels for storm surge, and provided other operational capabilities to FEMA, Department of Defense, and the Army Corps of Engineers.