PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM IN OCEANOGRAPHY 35 



The Department has been advised by the Bureau of the Budget 

 that there is no objection from the standpoint of the administration's 

 program to the submission of this report to your committee. 

 Sincerely yours, 



Robert H. Knight, 



General Counsel. 



The Secretary of Commerce, 

 Washington, D.C., August 22, 1961. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives, Washington, D.C 



Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in response to your letter of August 

 4, 1961, requesting the views of this Department on S. 901, an act 

 to advance the marine sciences, to establish a comprehensive 10-year 

 program of oceanographic research and surveys, to promote commerce 

 and navigation, to secure the national defense, to expand ocean, 

 coastal, and Great Lakes resources, to authorize the construction of 

 research and survey ships and laboratory facilities, to expedite ocean- 

 ographic instrumentation, to assure systematic studies of effects of 

 radioactive materials in marine environments, to enhance the public 

 health and general welfare, and for other purposes. 



As indicated in its title, the purpose of the act is to provide for a 

 coordinated, long-range program of oceanographic research and marine 

 surveys. The act appears designed to implement the report of the 

 Committee on Oceanography of the National Academy of Sciences^ 

 entitled "Oceanography 1960 to 1970." 



In the 2 years that have elapsed since the release of that report 

 in 1959, the executive branch has substantially expanded its efforts 

 in the field of oceanography in a variety of ways, manj^ of which took 

 into account the recommendations made in the Academy's report. 

 These efforts would be further intensified under the coordinated na- 

 tional program for oceanography recommended by the President in 

 his recent message to the Congress providing for a balanced and 

 flexible use of overall resources available for oceanography. 



This Department has accomplished much in the field of oceanog- 

 raphy in recent years. Highlights of accomplishments in the Coast 

 and Geodetic Survey since issuance of the Academy report on oceanog- 

 raphy would include: a 3-month oceanographic expendition by the 

 ship Explorer; assignment of the ship Pioneer to exclusive deep sea 

 oceanographic investigations ; expansion of oceanographic observations 

 by other ships within the framework of their regular operations. 

 Several ships have been outfitted with special oceanographic equip- 

 ment. 



The level of oceanographic operations in the Coast and Geodetic 

 Survey has progressed from an expenditure of $6 million in fiscal 

 year 1960 to $11 million in fiscal year 1961. Moreover, $14 million 

 was orignally proposed for fiscal year 1962, to which President Ken- 

 nedy's program added $10 million for a total of $24 million. A 

 considerable portion of these increases has been allocated to ship 

 construction. The additional funds requested for fiscal year 1962 

 included $9 million for construction of a 3,000-ton ship designed speci- 

 fically for oceanographic operations on the high seas. It will be the 



