WASHINGTON  -  With the closing of the MidContinent Mapping Center in Rolla imminent, U.S. Representative Jo Ann Emerson (MO-08) today pressed the case of Rolla, the MCMC, and its employees to the House Committee on Appropriations.  Emerson offered an amendment to force the USGS to fund operations of the Rolla MCMC through at least fiscal year 2007, and to prevent USGS from using any of its FY 2007 budget to close or consolidate the Rolla MCMC.

 

The amendment was adopted by voice vote, and becomes part of the FY 2007 Interior
Appropriations bill.  That legislation continues for consideration by the entire House of
Representatives later this year.

 

“Closing USGS Rolla is nothing short of bureaucracy run amok.  There is absolutely no
accountability behind this decision,” Emerson told the committee during the annual markup of the Interior Appropriations bill, which is the legislation containing operational funds for the USGS.

 

Also at issue is a competitive sourcing study which intends to find private contractors in the Denver area to replicate much of the work now done in Rolla.  The Rolla MCMC is being excluded from that study, which will determine the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of a private contract.

 

“Excluding Rolla from this comparison by closing it is like asking a prizefighter to take a dive in a championship bout,” Emerson said.  “This is a success these employees deserve, and I will continue to fight for them in the months ahead.  Rolla’s dedicated, expert workforce has proved time and time again that they are the best people to be doing this work, and they do it efficiently and well.  The disservice being done to the Rolla employees is nothing compared to the disservice being done to the American taxpayer.  Time and again, I have been told that this decision or that analysis was done subjectively, in someone’s head, and not on paper.  Well, we deserve to see how Rolla stacks up against Denver and against privatization, and someone is trying to hide that from us.”

 

Emerson cited an investigatory report by the Department of Interior Inspector General, Earl Devaney, in her argument to the committee, as well as correspondence with USGS employees and officials.

 

“Rolla should be kept open and allowed to continue the good work they do.  The alternative is to dismiss a valuable, skilled workforce and disassemble strong partnerships between the MCMC and our community, and to send the bill to the American taxpayer.  My amendment is just one of many ways we are fighting this decision, and I will continue to send the message to the Department of Interior, in the strongest possible terms, that this reckless decision-making and lack of accountability will not stand,” Emerson said.