NOAA Office of Program Planning and Integration

3.6 – Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs

The Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs (OLIA) coordinates all NOAA contacts with Congress (except those relating to appropriations) and is responsible for the planning, direction, and coordination of legislative programs that are of immediate concern to the NOAA Administrator and the Administration. OLIA communicates the Administration’s views to Congress and is proactive in notifying Congress of important NOAA developments. Conversely, OLIA keeps senior NOAA and DOC officials informed of critical congressional information and activities.

OLIA works within NOAA, DOC, and the Administration to:

»Develop, coordinate, and implement the overall legislative strategy for NOAA, including the identification and tracking of all legislation of interest to NOAA, and informing the NOAA Administrator, staff, and the AAs;

»Ensure good communication and coordination among legislative activities within LOs and SOs;

»Manage every aspect of NOAA’s participation in congressional hearings, including advising NOAA senior management of official requests for witnesses, ensuring the witnesses are properly briefed, and overseeing the preparation and clearance of NOAA testimony, including providing drafting assistance for written and/or oral testimony as requested; and

»Coordinate with the DOC Office of Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs.

OLIA works with Congress to:

»Educate new members and their staff on NOAA and its issues, programs, and activities;

»Roll out the President’s annual budget request to Congress;

»Coordinate and communicate the Administration’s position on proposed legislation of interest to NOAA through views, letters, and congressional testimony;

»Provide congressional staff with technical drafting assistance and opportunities to meet with NOAA experts;

»Ensure congressionally-mandated reports mandated by NOAA authorizing committees are completed on time;

»Respond to all congressional inquiries in a timely manner;

»Brief members and their staff regularly on important NOAA programs, issues, and activities; and

»Notify congressional members when NOAA grants are awarded for work in their districts or states.

Every year the OLIA’s legislative program activities encompass at least:

»50,000 e-mails and phone calls (outgoing and incoming) with Members and congressional staff;

»800 briefings and meetings with Members and congressional staff;

»30 oversight and legislative hearings;

»100 pieces of legislation directly related to NOAA that are tracked;

»760 Questions for the Record in follow-up to hearings;

»660 Legislative Referral Memos, which include interagency comments, testimony, and other documents;

»100 folders of correspondence to Members in response to their letters (many folders include letters to multiple Members) – NOAA overall does over 500 folders of congressional correspondence; and

»1,200 NOAA grants, that the OLIA reviews and then for most, sends e-mail notifications to the Representative in whose district the work is based, both Senators, and other Members as relevant after reviewing the grant information.

OLIA, in partnership with the NOAA Line and Staff Offices, maintains a summary of many of NOAA’s programs or activities based in, or focused on, states and territories located at www.legislative.noaa.gov/NIYS/index.html. These NOAA In Your State documents are an invaluable resource and tool for NOAA and Members of Congress, as well as the general public.

Additional information about OLIA is available at www.legislative.noaa.gov.