38 PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM IN OCEANOGRAPHY 



First, as stated in our report of May 16, 1960, to your committee, 

 concerning S. 2692 of the 86th Congress, this Department is already 

 engaged in carrying out certain types of oceanographic research. 

 Our report stated also that while this Department concurred in the 

 objectives of such proposal, we have authority to carry out such 

 research and did not believe enactment of the proposed legislation 

 was necessary. We believe the enactment of S. 901 is unnecessary 

 also for the same reasons and might inhibit the flexibility of oceano- 

 graphic research programs. 



Secondly, a coordinated and intensified national program for 

 oceanography has been recommended by the President in his recent 

 messages to the Senate and House. We believe that, if adopted, this 

 program would provide a balanced and effective use of overall resources 

 available for oceanography. 



For the foregoing reasons, we believe that action on S. 901 would 

 be unnecessary at present. We wish to emphasize, however, our 

 great interest in the subject of oceanography and our desire that this 

 form of research proceed efficiently and advantageously in the national 

 interest. Four bureaus of this Department, our Bureau of (Commercial 

 Fisheries, our Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife, our Bureau of 

 Mines, and the Geological Survey are directly concerned with the 

 field of oceanography. We are prepared to contribute our share, to 

 the extent that funds may be appropriated, toward accomplishment 

 of the general objective of oceanographic research. 



The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection 

 to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the admin- 

 istration's program. 



Sincerely yours, 



John M. Kelly, 

 Assistant Secretary of the Interior. 



National Science Foundation, 



Office of the Director, 

 Washington, D.C., January 23, 1962. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives, Washington, D.C, 



My Dear Mr. Bonner: This is in further reply to your request 

 for the views of the National Science Foundation on S. 901, the 

 Marine Sciences and Research Act of 1961. 



We are in complete accord with the objectives ol S. 901, which is 

 aimed at assuring that the United States has a strong national oceano- 

 graphic program. In this connection, it is estimated that the Federal 

 effort in oceanography for fiscal year 1962 will amount to approxi- 

 mately $98.8 million. Of this amouat approximately $17 million is 

 available lor the oceanographic activities of the National Science 

 Foundation. We feel that these amomits will enable the Federal 

 Government to continue to strengthen its oceanographic research 

 program in a sound manner. 



With respect to the National Science Foundation, in addition to 

 authorization of appropriations, S. 901 would direct the establishment 

 of a Division of Marine Sciences in the Foundation, with a divisional 

 committee consisting of representatives of various of the Federal 



