OCEANOGRAPHY 17 



Furthermore, certain scientific areas call for enhanced support from the Federal 

 agencies because of their intimate connection to national security and world 

 leadership. Oceanography is one of these. What is necessary is to strive 

 for balanced and broad programs for research support by the Federal Govern- 

 ment. Therefore, it does not appear in the best interests of the sciences gen- 

 erally to single out one discipline for special organizational treatment. 



In conclusion, the needs of oceanography have been recognized and are fully 

 appreciated. An analysis of funding for the past few years reveals that the 

 national effort in oceanography has begun to expand in an orderly fashion, 

 currently at a rate of about 50 percent per year. Indeed, the future plans of 

 the Federal agencies to promote a comprehensive 10-year program coincide closely 

 in most resi>ects with the proposals in the bills under consideration. We need, 

 and indeed we seek, favorable consideration by you of the budget requests 

 from the several departments and agencies cooperating in this program. I 

 suggest that oceanography has a high probability of producing a greater return 

 on the taxpayers' investment than some of the programs of equal magnitude 

 which are currently fashionable. 



Mr. Wakelin. Thank you, sir. 



I am, of course, concerned with oceanography from the viewpoint 

 of the Navy as well as the viewpoint of the Nation's program as a 

 whole. 



The Navy's interest in oceanography is widely known and its needs 

 are sufficiently self-evident as to require little justification. I think 

 the same is true concerning the whole Nation's need for a coordinated 

 program. 



The purpose of the Interagency Committee on Oceanography is 

 to develop and coordinate the national program. The consensus of the 

 Federal agencies is that the Coimiiittee has already demonstrated its 

 usefulness and that it will become more effective in the future. 



Let me turn now to i)age 8 of my prepared statement for a discus- 

 sion of the bills concerning oceanography : 



H.R. 9361 is a bill of sweeping proportions to establish a compre- 

 hensive 10-year program of oceanographic research and surveys. It 

 is patterned after the recommendations of the National Academy of 

 Sciences Committee on Oceanography, with which, I believe, we all 

 find ourselves in general accord. It would appear, however, that 

 much, if not practically all, of the authority contained in this bill is 

 already provided for in the basic legislation of the various Federal 

 agencies. Therefore, without detracting from the good intent of the 

 Congress in this matter, enactment of H.R. 9361 is not considered 

 necessary to achieve the national objectives. Section 15 of the bill 

 would authorize funds for the oceanography program in addition to 

 other appropriations provided for the various departments, bureaus, 

 and offices to carry out their duties under law. Such a provision could 

 have a very significant and beneficial effect on the programs of those 

 agencies whose funds listed in the bill are large percentages of their 

 entire departmental budgets. 



H.R. 10412 is a bill to establish a public policy with respect to 

 oceanographic surveys and to provide for coordination of the Federal 

 agencies in these surveys and in oceanography generally by the es- 

 tablishment of a coordinating committee on oceanographic surveys. 

 This proposes exactly what the Interagency Committee on Oceanog- 

 raphy has been established to do. These secretaries of the depart- 

 ments and heads of the agencies represented on the Interagency Com- 

 mittee of the Federal Council have each indicated to me that tliey 

 consider this Committee an effective means for achieving coordina- 



