OCEANOGRAPHY 19 61 — PHASE 3 157 



Mr. DiNGELL. As I read H.K. 4276 and as I read your statement, I 

 noted several things. One is that I do not believe you refer to that 

 bill. Am I correct in that? 



Mr. Wakelin. No. I did in effect refer to it, I believe, at the 

 middle of page 12, Mr. Dingell. 



Mr. Dingell. Would I be correct in understanding that you do not 

 make an official statement of endorsement or of opposition in regard 

 to that bill ? 



Mr. Wakelin. That is correct, sir. 



Mr. Dingell. Keading your statement, however, I note that the 

 language of H.R. 4276 carries out precisely what you say is being done 

 and what you say in your statement should be done. Am I correct ? 



Mr. Wakelin. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Dingell. It would appear, then, that it is desirable for this 

 committee to enact the bill ; is it not ? 



Mr. Wakelin. Sir, may I make a statement in this regard ? 



Mr. Dingell. I would appreciate your comments. 



Mr. Wakelin. Certainly everything provided for in H.R. 4276 is 

 in harmony with the current effort. This, then, thouches on a larger 

 problem, and that is the relationship of the President to the Congress 

 in this particular area. The relationship of the President to the Con- 

 gress and the relationship of our Department to the Federal Council 

 and to the President's Science Adviser, I think all have a bearing on 

 the total problem here and in many other areas. 



I should remark, then, in pursuance of this idea, that I would be- 

 lieve that the Federal Council and the President's Science Adviser 

 should be considered in the same light as oceanography here, as the 

 total effort in the executive branch in the White House. I think if 

 other areas of more general character than this could be considered, 

 oceanography and the work of our committee in reporting to the 

 Congress through the President would immediately be cleared up. 



Mr. Dingell. You are familiar with the problem this committee 

 has with regard to its jurisdiction and the fact that the other prob- 

 lems, if considered legislatively, would have to go to another com- 

 mittee. H.R. 4276 is probably the limit of the exercise of this com- 

 mittee's jurisdiction, as I read it in a cursoiy v^slj. 



May I tread a little bit the ground we have already gone over, 

 just briefly, Mr. Secretary? As I read the bill, it appears to me as if 

 H.R. 4276 was drafted to carry out what is being done now under the 

 Executive order. Am I correct ? 



Mr. Wakelin. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Dingell. It would appear what is being done is very desirable, 

 as I read your statement. 



Mr. Wakelin. Yes, in general terms, it is very desirable. How- 

 ever, there is one point in the operation of the executive branch to 

 which I feel I must make reference here, sir, and that is that a report 

 to the Congress in January from a Committee on Oceanography 

 which is a group agency committee, might conceivably be a report 

 in advance of a budget submission which was then not cleared com- 

 pletely through the executive branch. 



Mr. Dingell. This would be your principal objection? 



Mr. Wakelin. This would be my principal objection. 



Mr. Dingell. Are you aware of other objections to the bill ? 



