of the legislative branch of the Government that the present mechanism for planning and review may not be adequate. The varying nature of the individual solutions to the problem represented by these bills is a fair indication of the complexity of the problem. We believe that there is a growing need for a perspective in which the oceanographic programs of the Federal Government can be more clearly seen in relation to each other and in relation to the national goals which they support. All of these bills contain some features which could be helpful in carrying out a national oceanographic program. The position of the executive branch, however, is that H.R. 2218 should be enacted, but that the enactment of any of the other bills would be premature at this time. This position is based on the premise that the President's Science Advisory Committee's Panel on Oceanography is at the present time making the kind of investigation and study that is contemplated by H.R. 9064. When the Panel completes its study and submits its report Congress can more appropriately decide whether additional legislation dealing either with a further study or with a revised governmental organization to administer the national oceanographic program should be enacted. The recommendation that legislative action should be deferred is not intended to cast any doubt on the importance of the subject. President Johnson has recently stated his intention that the United States shall maintain leadership in ocean science and technology and their economic, military, and social applications. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. Sincerely yours, CLARENCE F. PAUTZKE, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior. Hon. HERBERT C. BONNER, NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, Washington, D.C., April 23, 1965. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR CONGRESSMAN BONNER: Over the last 3 months you have been kind enough to refer to us for our information, and such comment as we might wish to make, several bills having to do with the Federal Government's arrangements for developing, coordination, and funding the national oceanographic program. Our Committee on Oceanography has welcomed the opportunity to review these bills. The Committee has long recognized the need for a more unified approach to the oceanography program among the Federal agencies. The Committee considers such an approach to be especially desirable with reference to those elements of the program that involve the missions of several different agencies, for example, the study of air-sea interactions, the development and use of deepdiving vehicles and other means of deep-sea investigation, and the study of ocean resources. While the Committee does not have an adequate basis for recommending a particular mechanism for achieving the desired unity of approach, its members feel that efforts at the appropriate level of the executive branch, for example, the Office of science and Technology, in consultation with the congressional committees concerned, can undoubtedly result in an effective solution of the problem. Yours sincerely, FREDERICK SEITZ, President. NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION, OFFICE OF The Director, Washington, D.C., July 28, 1965. Hon. HERBERT C. BONNER, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in further reply to your request of January 25, 1965, for the views of the National Science Foundation on H.R. 2218, a bill to provide for a comprehensive, long-range, and coordinated national program in oceanography, and for other purposes. Under the terms of the bill, the President is directed to establish a national oceanographic program and to assign responsibility for carrying out the program. In addition, the bill authorizes the President to appoint an advisory committee for oceanography and directs him to report annually to the Congress on the status of the program. We believe that legislation such as that proposed in H.R. 2218 would be useful in helping to establish guidelines for carrying out the national oceanographic program and recommend that the bill be enacted. The Bureau of the Budget has advised us it has no objection to the submission of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. Sincerely yours, LELAND J. HAWORTH, Director. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, Hon. HERBERT C. BONNER, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Thank you for sending me with your letters of January 22 and January 26, copies of H.R. 921, a bill to establish the National Oceanographic Agency, and H.R. 2218, a bill to provide for a comprehensive long-range, and coordinated national program in oceanography. My testimony of June 23, 1964, before the Subcommittee on Oceanography of the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee (two copies enclosed) continues to represent what seems to me to be the essential considerations to be taken into account in organizing the executive branch for an effective oceanographic program. H.R. 912 and H.R. 2218 represent quite different approaches to this question. I do not believe that H.R. 912 provides a satisfactory solution because it would centralize in a single agency many aspects of oceanography which must be carried on by many parts of the Federal Government if they are to discharge their statutory obligations. On the other hand, H.R. 2218 provides a policy and actions which would strengthen oceanographic activities without centralizing them. This I consider the preferable general approach, and I would be glad to discuss these matters, as well as more recent developments in the Federal oceanographic programs, in greater detail at the appropriate time. Thank you for the opportunity to comment on these measures. DONALD F. HORNIG, Director. Hon. HERBERT C. BONNER, SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR MR. BONNER: Thank you for your letter of Januray 26, 1965, requesting the views of the Smithsonian Institution on H.R. 2218, a bill to provide for a comprehensive, long-range, and coordinated national program in oceanography, and for other purposes. This legislation would (1) set forth as national policy the development of a national oceanographic program; (2) place the responsibility for the development of the national program with the President; (3) authorize the President to appoint an advisory committee on oceanography; and (4) require the President to make an annual oceanographic report. The Smithsonian Institution favors enactment of this legislation. We have a deep interest in the science of oceanography, are included in the membership of the Interagency Committee on Oceanography, and welcome further participation in the biological and geological portions of the sustained national oceanographic effort. From this effort significant advances of knowledge will occur that will result in economic benefits and the increased utilization of food and other resources of the sea. That portion of H.R. 2218 providing for the utilization of advice from non-Federal sources is significant. Such advice is essential to the intelligent operation of a program as broad in scope as the national oceanographic program. The Bureau of the Budget advises that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. We appreciate this opportunity to indicate our support of H.R. 2218. Sincerely yours, S. DILLON RIPLEY, Secretary. GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE TREASURY, Hon. HERBERT C. BONNER, Washington, D.C., July 30, 1965. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your request for the views and recommendations of this Department on H.R. 2218, to provide for a comprehensive, long-range, and coordinated national program in oceanography, and for other purposes. In addition to declaring a national policy on oceanography, the bill would delineate the duties of the President in that field, authorize him to utilize such advisory arrangements as he finds desirable, and authorize him to appoint an Advisory Committee for Oceanography. This Committee would review the national program in oceanography and make recommendations concerning it. The bill would provide for a report by the President to Congress which would contain, among other items, a financial analysis of the amounts proposed for appropriations for oceanography for each department and agency of the Government. The bill is clearly intended to advance the national program in oceanography. The Department is in full sympathy with this objective. The bill would appear to be a constructive step toward the advancement and improvement of this program without derogating from the authority of the President or the heads of the agencies supporting oceanographic activities. The Department, therefore, supports its enactment. The Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there is no objection from the standpoint of the administration's program to the submission of this report to your committee. Sincerely yours, FRED B. SMITH, Acting General Counsel. [H.R. 5654, H.R. 6512, H.R. 7301, H.R. 7798, 89th Cong., 1st sess.] BILLS To provide for expanded research in the oceans and the Great Lakes, to establsih a National Oceanographic Council, and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, SEC. 101. This Act may be cited as the National Oceanographic Act of 1965. DECLARATION OF POLICY AND PURPOSE SEC. 201. The oceanographic and marine activities of the United States should be conducted so as to contribute to the following objectives: (1) The expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in and related to the oceans, the marine environment, and the Great Lakes, their boundaries and contents. (2) The preservation of the role of the United States as a leader in oceanographic and marine science and technology. (3) The enhancement of the general welfare and security of the United States. (4) The advancement of education and training in marine science and technology. (5) The development and improvement of the capabilities, performance, and efficiency of vehicles, equipment, and instruments for use in exploration, research, surveys, the recovery of resources, and the transmission of energy in the marine environment. (6) The coordination of activities of the various agencies concerned with the marine sciences, and the collection, storing, and distribution of significant data acquired as a result of these activities. (7) The establishment of long-range studies of the potential benefits to the United States economy, security, health, and welfare to be gained from the opportunities for, and the problems involved in, utilization of scientific marine and Great Lakes research and surveys. (8) The effective utilization of the scientific and engineering resources of the United States, with close cooperation among all interested agencies of the United States, in order to avoid unnecessary duplication of effort, facilities and equipment, or waste. (9) The making available to agencies directly concerned or affected by oceanographic or Great Lakes phenomena of knowledge obtained through U.S. scientific marine research and surveys which is of value or significance to the agency. (10) The cooperation by the United States with other nations and groups of nations in oceanographic and marine research and surveys when such cooperation is in the national interest. THE NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC COUNCIL SEC. 301. (a) There is hereby established, in the Executive Office of the President, the National Oceanographic Council (hereinafter called the "Council") which shall be composed of— (1) The Vice President, who shall be Chairman of the Council. (2) The Secretary of State. (3) The Secretary of the Treasury. (4) The Secretary of Defense. (5) The Secretary of the Interior. (6) The Secretary of Commerce. (7) The Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare. (8) The Director of the Office of Science and Technology. (b) The President shall from time to time designate one of the members of the Council to preside over meetings of the Council during the asbence, disability, or unavailability of the Chairman. (c) Each member of the Council may designate another officer of his department or agency to serve on the Council as his alternate in his unavoidable absence. (d) Each alternate member designated under subsection (c) of this section shall be designated to serve as such by and with the advice and consent of the Senate unless at the time of his designation he holds an office in the Federal Government to which he was appointed with the advice and consent of the Senate. (e) It shall be the function of the Council to advise and assist the President, as he may request, with respect to the performance of functions in the field of oceanography and the marine sciences, including but not limited to the following functions: (1) survey all significant oceanographic and marine science activities, including the policies, plans, programs, and accomplishments of all departments and agencies of the United States engaged in such activities; (2) develop a comprehensive program of oceanographic and marine science activities, including, but not limited to, exploration, exploitation and conservation of marine resources, oceanographic engineering, studies of air-sea interaction, transmission of energy, and communications, to be conducted by departments and agencies of the United States; (3) designate and fix responsibility for the direction of major oceanographic and marine science activities, including, but not limited to, exploration, exploitation and conservation of marine resources, oceanographic engineering, studies of air-sea interaction, transmission of energy, and communications; (4) provide for effective cooperation among all departments and agencies of the United States engaged in oceanographic and marine science activities, and specify, in any case in which primary responsibility for any category of the oceanographic and marine science activities has been assigned to any department or agency, which of those activities may be carried on concurrently by other departments or agencies; 53-367-65-3 |