National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration operations, research, and facilities For expenses necessary for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including research and development; testing and evaluation of new operational systems and equipment; maintenance, operation, and hire of aircraft: acquisition and installation of research instrumentation; expenses of an authorized strength of 358 commissioned officers on the active list; pay of commissioned officers retired in accordance with law and payments under the Retired Serviceman’s Family Protection Plan; observation of environmental conditions from space satellites, and reporting and processing of the data obtained for use in environmental forecasting; and construction of facilities, including initial equipment; alteration, modernization, and relocation of facilities; and acquisition of land for facilities; $341,642,000, to remain available until expended: Provided, That this appropriation shall lie reimbursed for at least press costs and costs of paper for navigational charts furnished for official use of other Government departments and agencies: Provided further, That this appropriation shall be available for payment to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for procurement, in accordance with the authority available to that Administration, of such equipment or facilities as may be necessary, for the purposes of this appropriation: Provided further, That unobligated balances as of June 30, 1973 in appropriations heretofore made to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration for “Research, development, and facilities” and “Satellite operations” shall be merged with this appropriation on July 1, 1973.