64 OCEANOGRAPHY 



engagement, is unable to appear today. He asked me to express his 

 regrets and to assure you of his desire to provide whatever informa- 

 tion this committee might consider necessary to carry out its responsi- 

 bilities. 



With me is Dr. Harris B. Stewart, Jr., chief oceanographer of the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey. Dr. Stewart is in direct charge of our 

 program in oceanography and has recently returned from the sig- 

 nificant oceanographic voyage of the ocean survey ship Explorer. He 

 is prepared to tell you of some of the important knowledge gained as 

 a result of this voyage as well as other operations conducted in his 

 area of responsibility. 



Five bills are being considered by your subconmiittee, The first 

 of these, H.R. 9361, proposes a broad enactment to set up a compre- 

 hensive 10-year program of oceanographic research along the lines 

 proposed by the Committee on Oceanography of the National Academy 

 of Sciences. Three identical bills, H.E. 10412, H.R. 10581, and H.R. 

 10586, propose the creation of a committee to assure coordination of 

 the efforts of the various agencies of the executive branch concerned 

 with aspects of oceanographic surveys. The fifth bill, H.R. 12018 

 proposes that the Secretary of Commerce be authorized to establish 

 within the Coast and Geodetic Survey a National Oceanographic Data 

 Center and a National Instrumentation Test and Calibration Center. 



Our views as to the advisability of the enactment of these bills and 

 detailed comments on the specific bills have been included in reports 

 which the Secretary of Commerce is transmitting to the committee. 

 I ask that these reports be included in the record of thevSe hearings 

 when they are received. 



Mr. Miller. Without objection, that may be done. 

 (The reports follow :) 



The Secretary of Commerce, 

 Washington, B.C., May 17, 1960. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives, Washington, B.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman : This is in reply to your request of February 18, 1960, 

 for the views of the Department of Commerce with i-espect to H.R. 10412, a bill 

 to establish a public policy with I'espect to oceanographic surveys, and to provide 

 for coordination of the eiforts of Federal agencies with respect to oceanographic 

 surveys. 



Although the Department is in agreement as to the principle enunciated in the 

 bill, it does not recommend favorable consideration for the reasons hereinafter 

 stated. 



The bill would proclaim a public policy with respect to oceanographic surveys, 

 and would establish, by statutory authority, a Coordinating Committee on Ocean- 

 ographic Surveys composed of representatives from agencies of the various de- 

 partments of the Federal Government which have a major interest in oceanog- 

 raphic surveys. 



This committee would be authorized and directed to coordinate the efforts of 

 the represented agencies in carrying out their individual responsibilities with 

 respect to the collection, preparation, and dissemination of oceanographic data. 



The bill also provides for an annual report to the President and Congress of 

 the committee's activities during the year, including recommendations as to 

 necessary legislation. 



The Department recognizes that the oceanographic program necessary in the 

 national interest is far too large and complex to be undertaken by any single 

 agency. Coordination of the functions and operations of the interested agencies 

 is essential to avoid duplication of effort and to plan the overall program so as 

 to produce the maximum accomplishment. 



