PROVIDE A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM IN OCEANOGRAPHY 9 



The ICO with its ad hoc subcommittees, was one of a dozen miscel- 

 laneous, albeit highly important, "boxes" on the organization chart 

 of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. As of February 

 of this year the other groups, or advisory committees, of the Federal 

 Council were: International Committee, Technical Committee on 

 High Energy Physics, Interdepartmental Committee for Atmospheric 

 Sciences, Committee on Natural Resources, Coordinating Committee 

 for Materials R. & D., Standing Committee, Committee on Long 

 Range Planning, Subcommittee on Water Resources Research, Ad 

 Hoc Panel on Laboratory Astrophysics, Panel on Environment and 

 Incentives for Research, and Ad Hoc Panel on Methods for Improving 

 Federally Financed Research. 



On the basis of these hearings and other studies of the problem, 

 your committee concluded that the existing structure was inadequate 

 to carry forward, on an effective long-range basis, the national pro- 

 gram m oceanography which, otherwise, all agreed should be estab- 

 lished and maintained. 



Your committee has worked closely and cooperatively with all the 

 departments concerned with oceanography and others interested in 

 and responsible for the technical and organizational development of 

 a national program. Thus, when it appeared that some overall 

 statutorj^ base was to be proposed to the Congress, applicable to the 

 whole broad spectrum of scientific research and related interagency 

 problems, your committee deferred legislative action in order to seek 

 an approach in conformity with any new reorganization plan that 

 might be recommended by the President and approved or acceded 

 to by the Congress. 



On March 29, 1962, the President transmitted to the Speaker of 

 the House, Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1962, under the provisions 

 of the Reorganization Act of 1949, as amended. In the absence of 

 disapproval by either the House or the Senate, plan No. 2 became 

 effective on June 8, 1962. 



Part I of the reorganization plan creates an Office of Science and 

 Technolog^y in the Executive Office of the President ; creates a Director 

 and Deputy Director, transfers coordinating functions from the 

 National Science Foundation to the new Office; and makes provision 

 for personnel under the classified civil service. 



Part II of the plan provides for certain reorganizations within the 

 National Science Foundation designed to strengthen the capability 

 of the Director of the Foundation to exert leadership and otherwise 

 further the effectiveness of administration of the Foundation. 



We are here concerned only with part I of the plan. 



It is pertinent to quote from the President's message transmitting 

 the reorganization plan to the Congress (H. Doc. No. 372, 87th 

 Cong., 2d sess.. Mar. 29, 1962) : 



The new arrangements incorporated in part I of the 

 reorganization plan will constitute an important develop- 

 ment in executive branch organization for science and 

 technology. Under those arrangements the President will 

 have permanent staff resources capable of advising and 

 assisting him on matters of national policy affected by or 

 pertaining to science and technology. Considering the 

 rapid growth and far-reaching scope of Federal activities in 



H. Kept. 2221, S7-2 2 



