Norton warns of Interior budget cuts

FROM THE ARCHIVE

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FEBRUARY 16, 2001

Gale Norton made her first public address as Secretary of Interior on Thursday and attempted to reassure her thousands of employees that rumored budget cuts won't affect the Department's ability to meet its goals.

But Norton is already warning that the budget won't be as large as expected. This may prove disastrous to Indian Country, as the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Indian Health Service saw their largest spending increases in history under a budget advanced by the Clinton administration last fall.

"We may need to make some adjustments working within our budget this year, but working together, I'm confident that we can do it," said Norton.

Such a task may be easier said than done. President George W. Bush has made a number of costly campaign promises affecting the Interior, including a nearly $1 billion pledge to fix crumbling tribal schools and $5 billion over 5 years to reduce the maintenance backlog in the country's national parks.

At the same time, Bush is proposing a $1.6 trillion tax cut, which would mean a decrease in spending in a number of departments and agencies. The Department of Justice is rumored for a $1 billion budget cut and rumors of a 7 percent slash in Interior spending have been surfacing.

"Many of you have heard rumors of cuts coming up," said Norton. "The department will have the resources it needs to meet its core responsibility."

Norton reassured employees that her responsibilities include fulfilling Bush's two expensive promises. However, Norton might need more than cooperation to make them stick.

For fiscal year 2001, Congress allocated a total of $1.94 billion for the National Park Service, but only about $300 million is dedicated to repair and maintenance. To make Bush's park promise come true, the $242 million for maintenance and $50 for park repairs would have to be increased or spent very wisely.

The same would apply to Bush's tribal school pledge. While $2.1 billion has been budgeted for the BIA, only about $300 million has been allocated for school construction and repair.

Meanwhile, the Interior in January under Clinton increased by seven the number of tribal schools needing "priority" attention. A total of 20 schools across the nation are considered as requiring immediate contruction, repair, or replacment.

Get the Tribal School list:
Tribal Schools on Priority List (Politics 2/16)

Get Norton's Speech:
Remarks of Secretary Gale Norton, One-on-One All Employees Meeting at the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI 2/15)

Relevant Links:
The Department of Interior - www.doi.gov