96 ADVANCEMENT OF MARINE SCIENCES 



As indicated by the President in his March 29, 1961, letter to the 

 presiding officers of the Senate and House of Representatives, the 

 most important part of the Nation's long-range program in oceanogra- 

 phy is the training of young scientists. It is becoming apparent that 

 the fundamental problem here is not only the ability of the marine 

 sciences to attract adherents among students, but the ability of the 

 educational institutions to accept, within their present facilities, the 

 necessary enrollment to svistain the growth of the national oceano- 

 graphic program. The Department believes that it is necessary to 

 explore the oceanographic facility needs of the educational institutions 

 and determine possible methods to provide for necessary expansion. 



This report has been coordinated within the Department of Defense 

 in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. 



The Bureau of the Budget advises that, from the standpoint of the 

 administration's program, there is no objection to the presentation of 

 this report for the consideration of the committee. 



For the Secretary of the Navy. 

 Sincerely yours, 



Robert E. M. Ward, 

 Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy, 

 Chief of Legislative Afairs. 



U.S. Department of the Interior, 



Office of the Secretary, 

 Washington, D.C., April 24, 1961. 

 Hon. Warren G. Magnuson, 



Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 

 U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Senator Magnuson : Your committee has requested a report 

 on S. 901, a bill to advance tlie marine sciences, to establish a com- 

 prehensive 10-year program of oceanographic research and surveys, 

 to promote commerce and navigation, to secure the national defense, 

 to expand ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes resources, to authorize the 

 construction of research and survey ships and laboratory facilities, to 

 expedite oceanographic instrumentation, to assure systematic studies 

 of effects of radioactive materials in marine environments, to enhance 

 the public health and general welfare, and for other purposes. 



We concur in the general object of this bill; however, notwithstand- 

 ing our considerable interest in oceanographic research, we recommend 

 that no action be taken on this bill for two principal reasons hereafter 

 stated. 



First, as stated in our report of May 16, 1960, to your committee, 

 concerning S. 2692 of the 86th Congress, this Department is already 

 engaged in carrying out certain tj'pes of oceanographic research. Our 

 report stated also that while this Department concurred in the objec- 

 tives of such proposal, we have authority to carry out such research 

 and did not believe enactment of the proposed legislation was neces- 

 sary. We believe the enactment of S. 901 is unnecessary also for the 

 same reasons and might inhibit the flexibility of oceanogi-aphic 

 research programs. 



Secondly, a coordinated and intensified national program for ocea- 

 nography has been recommended by the President in his recent mes- 



