US National Biological Service news

[Scott Miller]

A news bulletin regarding NBS from the Association of Systematics
Collections.  [Apologies to non-US receipients]

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Date: Tue, 20 Jun 95 17:29:23 EDT

The markup at the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Interior did NOT
go as planned/promised. Congressman Taylor of NC proposed to take $50 M
from NBS and give it to the Nat. Endowment for Humanities, which he
"likes better". After some joking among the committee, they agreed to do
it! An aide pointed out that this is impossible in that it would not
leave enough $$ for NBS to meet its obligations... the subcommittee said
it would work that out.... Everyone should call their Congressperson and
say that they support the NBS and that the cavalier way this decision
was made does a disservice to Congress as a deliberative body. These
cuts mean that the federal government will not have the
scientifricinformation necessary to protect wildlife and domestic
animals from disease, determine hunting seasons, understand the effects
of pest species, develop knowledge of new and valuable biological
products, etc., not to mention information oallowing us to prevent
damage to the biosphere. This is not "wise use', but a know-nothing
philosophy.