Advocacy for BEACH Act appropriations

[Christine Manninen <manninen@glc.org>]

FYI, Great Lakes beach managers and concerned parties:

Congress is working on an omnibus bill this week, which will likely 
include Agriculture, VA-HUD (which includes U.S. EPA) and 
Commerce-Justice-State appropriations. The time to act is now! Congress 
is expected to adjourn on Nov. 14.

The Great Lakes Commission is advocating for AT LEAST a $10 million 
appropriation for the BEACH Act. When originally passed in 2000, the 
BEACH Act authorized $30 million for grants within this EPA program for 
each fiscal year, 2001 - 2005. But, thus far, only $10 million/year has 
actually been appropriated.

We are most concerned at this point that the Senate VA-HUD 
Appropriations Subcommittee has not appropriated any funds for FY2004. 
We are urging them to support the House appropriations level of $10 
million recommended in H.Rpt. 108-235. Our most recent letter is 
attached. This was sent to the following individuals:

Sen. Christopher Bond
Chairman
Senate Appropriations Committee
Veterans Affairs, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee

Sen. Barbara Mikulski
Ranking Member
Senate Appropriations Committee
Veterans Affairs, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee

Rep. James Walsh
Chairman
House Appropriations Committee
Veterans Affairs, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee

Rep. Alan Mollohan
Ranking Member
House Appropriations Committee
Veterans Affairs, HUD and Independent Agencies Subcommittee

For more details on the status of FY2004 Appropriations Bills, see 
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/approp/app04.html

We encourage your support and involvement as these deliberations continue.

Sincerely,

Christine Manninen
Program Manager
Great Lakes Commission
Ann Arbor, Mich.

beachact_advocacy.pdf