One of the primary issues NOAA is now facing is how to continue 

 to gather the data necessary to carry out the agency's functions 

 with its aging and dwindUng research fleet. 



I hope these hearings will give us the information necessary to 

 make decisions about the future of NOAA as a ship-owning and op- 

 erating-agency. I also hope these hearings will lead to a higher pro- 

 file for NOAA's ocean and coastal programs within the agency, and 

 to better integration of NOAA's programs with those of the Navy 

 and the National Science Foundation. 



We truly have an impressive group of witnesses here today, and 

 I thank all of you for coming and look forward to your testimony. 



Mr, Weldon. Thank you, Mr. Saxton. I'd like to also ask for 

 opening welcomes from the actual host for our hearing today. I'm 

 a member of bis subcommittee, besides chairing the R&D sub- 

 committee for security, a distinguished colleague and a friend and 

 an activist on the Science Committee and in this Congress, Dana 

 Rohrabacher from California, who chairs the Energy and Environ- 

 ment Subcommittee for the House Science Committee. 



Mr. Rohrabacher. Thank you, Chairman Weldon. 



First of all, I'd like to note that I come from a coastal district and 

 Chairman Weldon does not come from a coastal district. He's from 

 a land-locked district. I'd like to commend him for being from a 

 land-locked district, yet having an incredible interest, an overriding 

 interest in ocean research and what we do and how we relate to 

 this part of the planet, this majority part of the planet. 



I want to also commend you. Chairman Weldon, for these hear- 

 ings today. This is an important step in raising the awareness of 

 this Congress, as well as the public, to the importance of ocean re- 

 search. 



I am well aware of the Chairman's dedication because, as you've 

 just said, Mr. Chairman, you are also a member of the Energy and 

 Environment Subcommittee, of which I chair. 



This is a timely hearing and our choices are not going to get any 

 easier as we move towards a balanced budget. The choices we are 

 going to have to make are going to be tougher and tougher, and 

 that includes the choices that we're making in terms of oceano- 

 graphic research. 



We have to set priorities in all areas of scientific research to 

 make sure that we get the best use out of all available funds. 



For example, the questions we have to ask, what priority do we 

 place on basic research in oceanographic research, as compared, for 

 example, to commercial development, such as marine parks? Other 

 questions — how can the government and the university community 

 make better use of private-sector dollars in research projects? 



We will also hear today from top civilian and defense policy-mak- 

 ers on the potential of dual-use technologies. I'm very excited about 

 that and very interested in that area. I think that not only will 

 dual-use technologies in this area be very beneficial to our country, 

 but also in other areas. And I'm very happy that Chairman Weldon 

 is drawing attention to those today in terms of the area of oceano- 

 graphic research and dual-use technologies in that area. 



Ajid we need to find out, consistent with that, how civilian agen- 

 cies can work with defense-related agencies in order to unlock the 

 mysteries of the sea. There's a lot that government can learn from 



