OCEANOGRAPHY 1961 — PHASE 3 141 



of Federal agencies ; the Council is authorized to delegate any of its functions 

 to any Federal agency head and to provide for full utilization of Federal agen- 

 cies' facilities and personnel. In addition, the bill authorizes and directs the 

 Smithsonian Institution to conduct specific taxonomy programs and authorizes 

 necessary appropriations. 



This Department is a member of the Interagency Committee on Oceanography. 

 Our interests in oceanography are in consideration of the importance of the 

 vast estuarine and inshore ocean waters and areas as a future major resource 

 for municipal, industrial, and recreational w^ater supplies and our attendant 

 concern as to their use for disposal of municipal and industrial wastes and the 

 berthing of nuclear-powered ships. We are similarly concerned with the use 

 of selected areas in the open ocean for the disposal of radioactive wastes and the 

 use of the ocean fishery resources as they relate to the health of the people of 

 the United States and of the world's underdeveloped countries which this Nation 

 is aiding. 



If a National Oceanographic Council is established, we suggest that, in 

 recognition of our interests outlined above, the Council's composition be modified 

 to include the Secretary of this Department. We contemplate actively contribut- 

 ing to the operation, and utilizing the facilities, of the already established 

 National Oceanographic Data Center. 



With the exception of the suggested modification, we defer to the appropriate 

 agencies as to the desirability and advisability of enactment of the specific 

 provisions of H.R. 4276. 



We are advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there is no objection to the 

 presentation of this report from the standpoint of the administration's program. 

 Sincerely youis, 



Abbaham Ribicoff, Secretary. 



Department of the Inteeioe, 



Office of the Seceetaey, 

 Washington, B.C., June 8, 1961. 

 Hon. Heebeet C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representa- 

 tives, Washington, B.C. 



Dear Me. Bonnee : Your committee has requested a report on H.R. 4276, a bill 

 to expand and develop the aquatic resources of the United States including the 

 oceans, estuaries, and rivers, the Great Dakes and other inland waters, to en- 

 hance the general welfare, and for other purposes. 



This Department has a vital interest in the field of oceanography. We are 

 sympathetic to the objective of this proposal ; however, we do not recommend 

 the enactment of the bill for reasons hereafter stated. 



This bill, which is broad in scope, would be cited as the "Oceanographic Act 

 of 1961." It provides for the appointment of a seven-member "National Oceano- 

 graphic Council." That Council would be required to establish a National 

 Oceanographic Data Center or centers, the functions of which would be to ac- 

 quire and disseminate scientific and technological oceanographic and related 

 environmental data, to conduct research and other projects for any department 

 or agency, and to exchange or sell such data and information as the Council 

 considers to be in the public interest. The Council would be required to estab- 

 lish primary standards of oceanographic measurements. It would be required 

 also to establish a National Instrumentation Test and Calibration Center. The 

 Council would be required to develop long-range plans for research, development, 

 studies, and surveys of aquatic environments, and to coordinate the efforts of 

 the departments and agencies of the Government of the United States. Annual 

 reports would be submitted to the Congress by the Council. The bill contains 

 provisions concerning the supplying of vessels by the United States to govern- 

 mental or nongovernmental departments or agencies. It would authorize the 

 Smithsonian Institution to construct additional taxonomic facilities to establish 

 a program for the recruitment, training, and placement of taxonomists, and the 

 mailing of grants to qualified scientists and institutions. 



Most of the objectives prescribed in this bill can be accomplished pursuant to 

 existing authority. The Interagency Committee on Oceanography, a committee 

 of the Federal Council on Science and Technology, has been an effective agent 

 for closer cooperation within Government departments. Also, because existing 

 authority allows for the funding of a national oceanographic program, and 



