Long Branch, NJ --- U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), who two weeks ago announced plans to introduce legislation in the House to create an Atlantic Tsunami Warning System, today lauded the Bush administration's decision to create the system for the Atlantic and the Caribbean, but says the administration must now follow through with the necessary funds without forcing cuts in other vital ocean programs. Pallone also believes the administration should consider expanding the system globally.

Last night, Pallone returned from a five-day trip to South Asia, where he saw the tragic results of last month's tsunami on Thailand, Sri Lanka and India. While in South Asia, the New Jersey congressman talked with foreign leaders in both India and Thailand who had plans to create their own warning systems in the Indian Ocean.

Pallone, ranking Democrat on the House Fisheries, Conservation, Wildlife and Oceans Subcommittee, believes a global system is needed, and that the United States should take the lead in creating it through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). He's in the process of drafting legislation to authorize the necessary funds for NOAA to create a global system, which would cost $26 million to build and about $32 million to maintain annually. The legislation will also call on the U.S. Secretary of State to work to secure foreign funds for the program in the future.

"I commend the administration's decision to create a warning system for the Atlantic and Caribbean, which will protect the New Jersey shore and the entire Atlantic coast from the threat of a tsunami," Pallone said. "However, after returning from tsunami-ravaged South Asia, I realize that we need a global system that can be shared by all nations. As the world's only superpower, the United States should take the lead in creating a global system as soon as possible. Once the system is up and running, I favor other nation's pitching in and sharing the costs, but I believe the administration should provide the necessary funds to expedite the building of a global warning system."

Pallone pointed to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy's final report last year calling for a plan to transfer all the information collected by NOAA, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in oceans throughout the world into one Integrated Ocean Observing System, with NOAA serving as the lead agency. President Bush echoed these findings in his U.S. Ocean Action Plan released last month by calling for the building of a Global Earth Observation Network.

Pallone's subcommittee has jurisdiction over both NOAA and the oceans, and he hopes the subcommittee will hold hearings soon to explore a global warning system.