	Introduction

The mission of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) is to serve the United States by providing reliable scientific information to describe and understand the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect the nation's quality of life. The USGS is housed in the Department of the Interior (DOI), and part of its mission is to provide scientific information to other agencies and bureaus within DOI. The USGS conducts scientific activities under seven interdisciplinary mission areas: (1) water resources; (2) climate and land use change; (3) energy and minerals; (4) natural hazards; (5) core science systems; (6) ecosystems; and (7) environmental health. Many scientific studies conducted by the agency affect areas of congressional interest. For example, the USGS conducts oil, gas, and mineral resource assessments that help Congress evaluate federal land use policy and provide broad-scale information for private-sector resource development. Because of recent congressional interest in the scope of the USGS mission, how it has changed since its inception, and how the agency is currently structured and funded, this report explores the evolution of the USGS since the USGS Organic Act in 1879 and its present structure. State and federal involvement in geology also contributed to the creation of the USGS. FY2015 Budget for the USGS

The FY2015 budget request for the USGS was $1.073 billion, which was $41.3 million more than the FY2014 enacted level of $1.032 billion. Issues for Congress

This section reviews some selected issues related to the USGS that have been of interest to Congress. Mission of USGS

Some in Congress contend that the mission of the USGS has expanded beyond the scope of its organic act to the detriment of its original focus on geology and resources. In contrast, some others note that the USGS has expanded its scope due to congressional direction in terms of authorities and allocation of funding. Further, they note, the mission of the USGS has changed over time to reflect the needs of the country. These streamgages monitor water flow and quality and aid in the collection and retention of streamflow data for the nation. The Landsat program represents the world's longest continuously acquired collection of land remote sensing data. Under its Natural Hazards Program area, the USGS pursues activities for other natural hazards, such as volcano hazards, landslide hazards, floods and droughts, and wildfire hazards. Other hazard mitigation initiatives include USGS work on understanding coastal processes and improving the ability to assess the nation's vulnerability to extreme coastal storms such as hurricanes. The USGS actively monitors and studies water quality in these ecosystems and others.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) aims to provide unbiased scientific information to describe and understand the geological processes of the Earth; minimize loss of life and property from natural disasters; manage water, biological, energy, and mineral resources; and enhance and protect the nation's quality of life. The USGS is a scientific agency that is housed within the Department of the Interior. Its primary mission is conducting science; it has no regulatory authority, nor does it manage any significant federal lands. The USGS also collects and stores scientific information that is compiled into long-term continuous data sets. These data sets range from satellite imagery of land and ecosystem features to streamflow data on major rivers and streams.
The USGS conducts scientific activities under seven interdisciplinary mission areas: (1) water resources; (2) climate and land use change; (3) energy and minerals; (4) natural hazards; (5) core science systems; (6) ecosystems; and (7) environmental health. The agency is funded through Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies appropriations laws. The FY2015 budget request for the USGS was $1.07 billion, which is $41.3 million more than the FY2014 enacted level of $1.03 billion.
Congressional interest in the USGS is high because many USGS activities have nationwide and regional policy implications. USGS partners with several stakeholders in its monitoring and scientific endeavors and contributes scientific knowledge to seminal policy decisions such as the listing of species under the Endangered Species Act, the management of water supplies, and the placement of emergency response resources following major storm events or hurricanes.
Some potential congressional concerns about the USGS involve the scope of its mission. For example, some in Congress contend that the mission of the USGS has expanded beyond the scope of its Organic Act, to the detriment of its work on geological issues. In contrast, some others note that the USGS has expanded its scope in response to congressional authorizations and that its mission has changed over time to reflect the needs of the country. Some specific USGS programs—for example, the agency's role in assessing the nation's mineral, oil, and natural gas resources—have also been of interest to Congress. Often, the results of these studies and assessments have led to congressional decision-making regarding resource development and federal land use. Other USGS activities that have generated congressional interest and debate include the National Streamflow Information Program, which deploys streamgages across the country to measure water flows and quality; the Landsat Program, which collects remotely sensed data from satellites and distributes it to stakeholders; and the Natural Hazards Program, which is involved in evaluating, observing, studying, and contributing to the mitigation of natural hazards such as earthquakes, volcanoes, landslides, and coastal storms, among others.