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Mr. Webb questioned whether we were clear with the Appropriations Subcommittee that they will move forward with the present budget that is before them and give us time to do this investigation.  Mr. Ripley stated that the House mark-up had proceeded normally except for the categorical deletion of the Research Awards Program, a vital research category which permitted Smithsonian staff to pursue on-going  research funded for many years by the NSF.  Congress had been approving this item regularly since 1966, and the Smithsonian had been treating the funds in the same manner as those previously received from NSF.  The GAO Report covered this subject in great detail, and it is evident that the Subcommittee deleted the Research Awards Program pending some resolution of this matter.  Mr. Webb wondered if the Appropriations Committee would restore this item in the budget until the Audit and Review committee had completed its work.

Mr. Ripley stated that the Smithsonian is heartily in accord with the foregoing discussion and stands ready to provide information and aid to the review committees as needed.  He said that the staff has been working with the GAO for six months, providing whatever materials have been requested.  Mr. Ripley also referred to the work of his staff in preparing a list of possible topics which might be addressed in these studies based on the work which has been going on for the last