COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

CLARENCE CANNON, Missouri, Chairman

KENNETH SPRANKLE, Clerk and Staff Director

FRANK BARTON, DEPUTY UNDER SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORTATION

J. HERBERT HOLLOMON, ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

JOHN PRINCE, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY FOR ADMINIS

TRATION

LAWRENCE E. IMHOFF, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF BUDGET AND

MANAGEMENT

RAYMOND GIRARD, OFFICE OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT
WILBUR H. GRIM, OFFICE OF BUDGET AND MANAGEMENT

Mr. THOMAS. The committee will please come to order.

We have with us, this morning, our friends from the Departament of Commerce, seeking a supplemental for 1963 that appears in House Document 514, dealing with the subject of transportation research. We welcome aboard these distinguished gentlemen.

Mr. Secretary, have you a statement for us? If you have, we shall be delighted to hear you, or you may submit your statement for the record, ad lib, or proceed in any manner you would like.

GENERAL STATEMENT

Mr. BARTON. Mr. Chairman, I have a short statement. With your permission, I will read it.

Mr. Chairman, I have with me, today, Dr. J. Herbert Hollomon, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Science and Technology, who serves as an adviser to all departmental officials with respect to matters of sicence and technology.

We are appearing in support of a request for an appropriation of $1,850,000 for the 1963 fiscal year, to initiate a comprehensive transportation research program.

President Kennedy, in his message to the Congress on the transportation system last April 5, said:

To understand the increasingly complex transportation problems of the future, to identify the relationships of social, economic, administrative, and technical factors involved, to translate scientific knowledge into transportation engineering practice, to weigh the merits of alternative systems, and to formulate new, improved, and consistent policies-we need information that can evolve only from a vigorous, continuous, and coordinated program of research. Yet, in the field of transportation where we have many unfulfilled opportunities, research has been fragmented, unsteady, inadequate in scope and balance.

This request for funds will enable us to start a program of research in which we will look at the transportation sysem as a whole with the goal of finding answers to some of our most pressing current problems as well as identifying future needs and the requirements to meet those needs.

The transportation system is organized by segments, and the type of research presently being conducted is confined to the problems of the

particular modes or problems within a mode. There is practically no research being conducted to help solve the problems of the overall transportation system and the interrelationships of the various segments.

It is our purpose to work very closely with other agencies of the Federal Government which have responsibilities for the transportation system or which conduct research which may have a substantial effect upon transportation. We also expect to work closely with the transportation industry and with other private and public organizations such as universities and research foundations.

We want to direct a research program toward providing the answers to the questions of how we can move persons and goods effectively and efficiently, relying heavily upon private initiative, and reducing the dependence upon public subsidy.

The transportation process is so closely linked with all aspects of our national life that it can vitally affect our ability to grow economically, progress socially, and maintain our security. Yet, we do not believe the transportation system is keeping pace with the growth and development of our overall economy. To whatever degree it lags, our economic growth will be held back proportionately.

Our intention is to organize a coordinated research program in such a way that we can reasonably expect to provide answers to some of our pressing current problems as well as look to the future in terms of requirements and develop long-range plans for the kind of transportation system which will meet those requirements.

Our budget request includes $350,000 for administration of the program. This will provide 14 professional staff positions, supporting clerical positions and services. We will fill these positions with the best qualified persons we can find in the entire country. We believe it is important, in order to tackle overall problems of the transportation system, to produce an integrated team of economists, mathematicians, engineers, economic geographers, and persons trained in systems analysis. We expect to use the latest and most efficient research techniques and equipment including computers and other data processing equipment.

This professional staff will work closely with other agencies of the Government so that there will be no duplication of effort. I want to emphasize that. Every effort will be made to coordinate transportation related research so that our program will blend with the research efforts of other organizations to the end that they will enhance one another.

It is our intention to utilize $1,500,000 of the $1,850,000 request to engage the research abilities and facilities of universities and foundations as well as private research organizations. As we developed the program you have before you, research officials from a number of universities and other organizations were contacted for their counsel and interest.

JUSTIFICATION OF THE ESTIMATE

Mr. THOMAS. That is an excellent statement.

Mr. Reporter, put the appropriating language in the record at this point. We have looked over your language in your estimates quite carefully. There is some very concise reading material here. I think

it is so worthwhile we shall ask the reporter to put the entire justification in the record.

(The material referred to follows:)

"GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

"TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH

"For necessary expenses for conducting transportation research activities, including services as authorized by section 15 of the Act of August 2, 1946 (5 U.S.C. 55a), but at rates for individuals not to exceed $75 per diem; and hire of passenger motor vehicles; to remain available until expended, $1,850,000, of which not to exceed $35,000 may be advanced to the appropriation for 'Salaries and expenses' under 'General Administration.'

JUSTIFICATION

The transportation system of the United States is vital to its welfare and security, contributes significantly to the cost of providing goods and services, constitutes about 20 percent of the gross national product, and by its nature accounts for substantial accidental loss of life and property. The present direct and indirect Government subsidy for transportation is enormous. Conflicting and incompatible regulation of the various modes increases the cost, complexity, and inefficiency of the system.

Partly because the now numerous modes of transportation came into being at different points in time, support of each has not been based on a consideration of the transportation system as a whole. Thus, it is difficult to evaluate the consequences of changes, in the support, regulation, or evolution of one mode on the capability and performance of another. The expense of distributing goods is a large and increasing element in their cost and must be reduced if the country's productivity is to rise sufficiently. Moreover, national defense needs, in which transportation has historically played so important a part, is changing so rapidly as to make it imperative that transportation development keep pace.

The Nation can no longer afford a piecemeal approach to the problem-the development of new plans and policies for the transportation system as a whole is essential. If an effective and coordinated transportation system is to result, these plans and policies must be based on technological and economic data that are as complete as possible. To provide the information for formulating these plans and policies, it is proposed to carry out a transportation research program that will attract the best minds in the country who will use the most advanced techniques of research and analysis. The program results as they develop will be used to serve as a background for answering specific policy questions arising from day to day.

FORMULATION OF A TRANSPORTATION RESEARCH EFFORT

The President directed the Secretary of Commerce to undertake an evaluation of transportation research needs and development of a comprehensive transportation research program in cooperation with his staff and affected Federal agencies.

A team was organized under the direction of the Under Secretary of Commerce for Transportation to obtain summary information on existing programs of transportation research being conducted within the Federal Government, in private industry, universities, foundations, nonprofit organizations, and other private groups.

This team's findings strongly indicate that—

1. There is a substantial amount of research presently underway. There is no authoritative source to evaluate either the volume or dollar value of such research.

2. Much of the research presently underway is uncoordinated. Exceptions are primarily projects being conducted within the Federal Government with some interagency coordination and cooperation.

3. Practically all current transportation research is confined to a particular mode or to a problem within a mode.

4. There is no substantial research effort directed toward solving the overall problems of the transportation system, nor which clearly leads to the formulation of policies to help produce the best transportation system needed in the future.