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BARRO COLORADO ISLAND

The Act of July 2, 1940 (54 Stat. 724), which set aside Barro Colorado Island in the Canal Zone in order to preserve and conserve its natural features for research purposes, authorized the appropriation of $10,000 for necessary administrative and maintenance expenses related to the island. Subsequently, P.L. 89-280, approved October 20, 1965, amended the authorization to $350,000.

At its meeting on January 22, 1976 the Board of Regents requested its Congressional members to introduce and support legislation eliminating the ceiling on appropriations. On February 6, Senator Scott introduced S. 2946 for this purpose, and on March 15 Mr. Mahon introduced, for himself and Mr. Cederberg, a companion measure, H.R. 12506. No action was taken in the House, but it was approved by the Senate on September 14 with an amendment raising the amount authorized to $600,000.

On January 25, 1977 the Board of Regents again requested its Congressional members to introduce and support the necessary legislation. On March 17 Senator Jackson, for himself, Senator Pell, and Senator Goldwater, introduced S. 1031 raising the ceiling to $750,000. The late Mr. Metcalfe, former chairman of the Subcommittee on the Panama Canal of the House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, introduced H.R. 3348, an identical measure, on February ninth.

In May, 1977 the Senate bill was approved, but the House version failed on a suspension vote and there was no further action on it.

Although current obligations continue to be within the statutory limit, the pressure of increasing costs and the need for improvements