come and go, and we apologize for that. This should not be the 

 case, but, unfortunately, all of the hearings are scheduled at the 

 same point in time which is why this confusion takes place on a 

 day like today. With that, I would also ask unanimous consent to 

 include the statement of the Honorable Jack Fields of Texas, Mr. 

 Chairman. 



Statement of Hon. Jack Fields, a U.S. Representative from Texas, and 

 Ranking Minority Member, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries 



Mr. Chairman, I commend you on your first hearing as Chairman of the Subcom- 

 mittee, and look forward to continuing our strong working relationship to benefit 

 the great State of Texas. With all due respect to former Congressmen Hertel and 

 Davis, I also applaud the change in the Subcommittee's name. 



The National Undersea Research Program has maintained a low profile at the 

 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. While targeted for elimination 

 in past budget proposals, the program has proved to be surprisingly resilient. This is 

 no doubt due to the valuable research on undersea productivity and habitat charac- 

 teristics, marine mineral resources, and diving safety and technology it has pro- 

 duced. 



However, I am concerned that there is little geographic parity within the pro- 

 gram, given the concentration of NURP Centers and funding in the Atlantic Ocean. 

 NURP activities for the Gulf of Mexico are currently conducted through the Univer- 

 sity of North Carolina at Wilmington, which also has responsibility for the entire 

 mid- to south-Atlantic region. This strikes me as quite thinly spread. Although 

 NURP has funded research in the Gulf of Mexico at Texas A&M University and 

 others, certainly the Gulf could benefit from additional deep water exploration and 

 research. This is especially true given its tremendous natural undersea resources, 

 including the northernmost coral reef in the United States, a seven-billion-dollar 

 fishery, and abundant offshore oil and gas deposits. 



I Would also like to welcome Dr. Bright of Texas A&M University to the witness 

 table. No stranger to NURP, Texas A&M is one of the preeminent marine research 

 institutions in the country and Dr. Bright is one of its most powerful assets. In fact, 

 he is perhaps the foremost expert on the Flower Gardens Bank in the Gulf of 

 Mexico. 



Mr. Chairman, again, thank you for holding this hearing and I am confident that 

 together we can correct the geographic parity problems with the National Undersea 

 Research Program. 



Statement of Hon. William J. Hughes, a U.S. Representative from New Jersey 



Good afternoon, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for allowing me to join your hearing 

 today. 



Mr. Chairman, I am very pleased that we are beginning proceedings on the Na- 

 tional Undersea Research Program, commonly referred to as NURP. I have been 

 involved in this program for several years, both in restoring funding after the Ad- 

 ministration had reduced the Program's budget or eliminated the Program altogeth- 

 er and in the form of legislation which I sponsored to formally establish the NURP 

 within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 



NURP has been in effect for over a decade. Research from the six regional centers 

 has consistently proven the important role NURP plays in providing opportunities 

 for the scientific community to conduct research not possible within the limits of 

 traditional ship-based research and laboratories. 



NURP assists leading scientists with research in the Great Lakes, the oceans, and 

 on the sea floor using the most modern technology and undersea habitats. Undersea 

 research has enhanced our knowledge of the dynamic processes governing our 

 oceans, increased our understanding of recruitment to fisheries, and expanded our 

 general knowledge of the deep sea environment. NURP has also contributed to ad- 

 vances in biotechnology and gear design, advanced underwater technology, and fos- 

 tered the development of small businesses. 



I am very proud that the New York Bight Center is located at Rutgers University 

 in New Jersey. In addition to conducting important undersea research in the Mid- 

 Atlantic region, this center performs the critical task of monitoring the 106-mile 

 ocean dumping site. 



I intend to work with you, Mr. Chairman, to pass into law this Congress legisla- 

 tion to statutorily establish the National Undersea Research Program within the 



