Lawmakers in both the House and Senate this week will hear from the heads of the Commerce Department and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- as well as the public -- on the proposed fiscal 2013 budgets.

Democrats and Republicans have raised concerns in recent weeks about NOAA's proposed $5.1 billion budget, which makes up about 60 percent of the Commerce Department's total spending each year.

The House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is not likely to be any easier on NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco when she testifies tomorrow about what programs the agency proposes to cut back on in order to fund expensive data-gathering satellites.

Lubchenco has explained to other committees that her agency "put a very high priority on saving lives and property" when crafting the budget.

In order to maintain vital weather monitoring that provides hurricane and tornado warnings, NOAA requested $2 billion for its satellite division, an 8.7 percent increase from the 2012 level. But, that means substantial cuts to all kinds of other programs like ocean acidification monitoring, fisheries research and tsunami buoys.

The same subcommittee will also hold a public listening session on the proposed budget Thursday. As many as 60 citizens and members of Congress are expected to testify. Unlike most hearings, where the bulk of the time is devoted to lawmakers asking questions of the witnesses, these "Public Witness Days" are primarily an opportunity for lawmakers to listen to citizens.

The Senate Commerce, Justice and Science Subcommittee will also take up the Commerce Department's proposed budget Thursday. Among topics that might come up is the White House's proposal to move NOAA to the Interior Department, something that has raised the ire of Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.), who has pledged to do everything possible to stop it from happening (ClimateWire, March 8).

Schedule: The hearing before the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. in H-309, U.S. Capitol.

Witness: NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco.

Schedule: The public witness hearing before the House Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is Thursday, March 22, at 9 a.m. in H-309, U.S. Capitol.

Witnesses: TBA.

Schedule: The hearing before the Senate Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies Appropriations Subcommittee is Thursday, March 22, at 10 a.m. in 192 Dirksen.

Witness: Commerce Secretary John Bryson.