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engineering research and education falls squarely on the shoulders of the 

 research community. These benefits include not only pushing back the frontiers 

 of scientific knowledge but also educating the next generation of researchers 

 and scientifically literate citizens who know how to weigh the potential future 

 value of new discoveries against the cost of current investments. 



In closing, I want to be on record that NSF is eager to work with relevant 

 agencies to explore appropriate ways to improve the quality and the coordination 

 of research in the ocean sciences. 



I would be happy to respond to any questions that you might have. 



