4 EFFECTIVENESS OF THE COMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY 



It is signed by R. Bennett, Chief of Naval Research. 



Similar letters were addressed to Dr. Bronk also from the Atomic 

 Energy Commission, the National Science Foundation, and, I believe, 

 the Department of the Interior. 



I bring this up, Mr. Chairman, to show the interest that we (the 

 Navy) have had in sponsoring a group within the National Academy 

 to assist us in our science efforts in the whole realm of oceanography. 



The Committee was then established, and held its first meeting in 

 November of 1957. It produced the report after a long and intensive 

 study. 



The Federal Council for Science and Technology came into being 

 in March 1959. Oceanography was among the many items in the 

 initial Federal Council calendars. In May 1959, Dr. Killian, science 

 adviser to the President, informed Dr. York, then the Director of 

 Research and Engineering of the Department of Defense, of the Fed- 

 eral Council's decision to form a subcommittee of the Council's Stand- 

 ing Committee to look into plans for meeting the Nation's needs in 

 oceanography and, specifically, to evaluate the report of NASCO. 



Dr. York was asked to appoint a Department of Defense repre- 

 sentative to serve as chairman of a group composed of representatives 

 from DOD, AEC, NSF, the Departments of Commerce and Interior, 

 with an observer from the Bureau of the Budget. On July 16, Dr. York 

 addressed a letter to me appointing me as chairman and the subcom- 

 mittee met for the first time shortly thereafter. In September 1959, 

 the subcommittee submitted its report to the Federal Council generally 

 endorsing the objectives and program included in the NASCO report. 

 It further recommended the establishment of a permanent com- 

 mittee of the Federal Council in order to review Federal programs in 

 oceanography and to serve as a coordinating mechanism whereby 

 oceanographic activities of the United States would be developed 

 in conformity with our vital national interests in the oceans. 



On January 22, 1960, the Federal Council determined that our 

 subcommittee should be made a permanent committee of the Council, 

 and we became the Interagency Committee on Oceanography of the 

 Federal Council. At this time, also, the Department of Health, 

 Education, and Welfare was added to the Committee and the National 

 Academy of Sciences Committee on Oceanography became an ob- 

 server to the committee in its capacity under congressional statute 

 as an adviser to the Federal Government in science and its use for 

 the general welfare. 



In November 1960, in recognition of the Coast Guard's interest, 

 capabilities, and potential in our oceanographic endeavors, the 

 Treasury Department was invited to participate and become a perma- 

 nent member of our Committee. With the increase of Federal activity 

 in the international aspects of oceanography, the Department of 

 State was asked to participate with us and joined us in observer 

 status on May 18, 1961. 



Now to go back for a moment. With the advent of the new admin- 

 istration in January 1961, the status of the Interagency Committee 

 on Oceanography was reviewed by the new Chairman of the Federal 

 Council on Technology, Dr. Jerome B. Wiesner. And on March 10, 



