ADVANCEMENT OF MARINE SCIENCES 97 



sages to the Senate and House. We believe that, if adopted, this 

 program would provide a balanced and effective use of overall resources 

 available for oceanography. 



For the foregoing reasons, we believe that action on S. 901 would be 

 unnecessar}' at present. We wish to emphasize, however, our great 

 interest in the subject of oceanography and our desire that this form 

 of research proceed efficiently and advantageously in the national 

 interest. Four bureaus of this Department, our Bureau of Com- 

 mercial Fisheries, our Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, our 

 Bureau of Mines, and the Geological Survey are directh' concerned 

 with the field of oceanogi'apli}". We are prepared to contribute our 

 share, to the extent that funds may be appropriated, toward accom- 

 plishment of the general objective of oceanographic research. 



The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to 

 the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the administra- 

 tion's program. 



Sincerely yours, 



JoHX W. Kelly, 

 Assistant Secretary of the Interior. 



The Secretary of Commerce, 



Washington, B.C., May 5, 1961. 

 Hon. Warren G. Magntsox, 

 Chairman, Committee on Commerce, 

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



Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in response to your letter of February 

 13, 1961, requesting the views of this Department on S. 901, a bill to 

 advance the marine sciences, to establish a comprehensive 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 en\di'onments, to enhance the public 

 health and general welfare, and for other purposes. 



As indicated in its title, the purpose of the bill is to provide for a 

 coordinated, long-range program of oceanographic research and 

 marine surveys. The bill appears designed to implement the report 

 of the Committee on Oceanography of the National Academy of 

 Sciences, entitled "Oceanography 1960 to 1970." 



In the 2 years that have elapsed since the release of that report in 

 1959, the executive branch has substantially expanded its efforts in 

 the field of oceanography in a variety of wa3's, many of which took 

 into account the recommendations made in the Academy's report. 

 These efforts would be further intensified under the coordinated 

 national program for oceanography recommended by the President 

 in his recent message to the Congress providing for a balanced and 

 flexible use of overall resources available for oceanography. For 

 example, the President's recommendations for fiscal j'ear 1962 con- 

 template a virtual doubling of the fiscal year 1961 program. 



