10.0. Federal Organization and Program 
10.1. FEDERAL INTEREST—PAST AND PRESENT 
Federal involvement in marine science, oldest of the Federal Gov- 
ernment’s scientific pursuits, began with the Coast Survey’s found- 
ing in 1807 to meet the needs of the Nation’s navigators. Over the 
years other agencies manifested need for knowledge of the sea, but 
federally sponsored marine-science programs did not gain momentum 
until 1956. At that time a group of Government oceanographers, 
stimulated by advances realized under Navy sponsorship dating from 
World War II and impressed by opportunities the imminent Inter- 
national Geophysical Year presented, initiated activities which pro- 
duced today’s greatly expanded program.* 
A major report on the national importance of knowledge of the 
seas with a recommended program for its pursuit was produced in 
1959, under a Government contract, by the National Academy of 
Sciences Committee on Oceanography. This report, a prototype of 
many which have subsequently appeared, motivated increased Federal 
interest and support for oceanography and also raised serious ques- 
tions in industry and Government about the adequacy of the pro- 
grams planned for exploring and understanding the seas. 
The intensity of present interest within the industrial community 
and in Congress is well illustrated by the lengthy congressional hear- 
ings held in the summer of 1965 regarding some 19 bills submitted 
during the first session of the 89th Congress. These and subsequent 
bills reflect a widespread impression that the Nation’s marine interests 
are not being adequately pursued by the executive branch. This is 
commonly attributed to organizational fragmentation of Federal 
responsibility for oceanography and to lack of a sufficiently high- 
level advocate for ocean science and technology. 
The executive branch’s position has been that oceanography has 
advanced rapidly in the last 5 years under the leadership of the Fed- 
eral Council for Science and Technology with the coordination pro- 
1 An excellent historical summary is given in the preface of ‘National Ocean- 
ographic Program,” ICO Pamphlet 24, 1966, which is included as app. IV ot 
this report. 
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