116 MARINE SCIENCE 
(Discussion off the record.) 
The Cuatrman. At this point in the record we will ace the state- 
ment of Mr. L. R. Sanford, piesideny of the Shipbuilders Council of 
America. 
(The statement follows :) 
SHIPBUILDERS CoUNCIL oF AMERICA, 
New York, N.Y., March 14, 1961. 
Subject: S. 901, the Marine Sciences and Research Act of 1961, and S. #289, 
to Expand the Authority of the Coast Guard in Marine Research, 
Hon. WARREN G. MAGNUSON, 
Chairman, Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 
U.S. Senate, Washington, D.C. 
Drak SENATOR Magnuson: It is understood that hearings will be held before 
the full committee of which you are chairman on March 15 through 18 on 
‘pending bills S. 901, the Marine Sciences and Research Act of 1961, and on 
S. 1189, to authorize the Coast Guard to carry on certain oceanographic research. 
The shipbuilders council has for the past several years been keenly aware of 
the lag in this country as compared with Soviet Russia in basic marine 
science research and oceanography. The gap is most evident, of course, in the 
comparatively small number of research ships and related craft in active opera- 
tion and in the failure to build new research ships. The \council has as a result 
strongly favored expansion of all programs in this field and last year endorsed 
your bill 8. 2692, the forerunner of the present perfected bill S. 901. 
In view of a prospective world situation in which the ocean depths, like space, 
could play a vital role in our survival, the 10-year program envisioned in the 
bill is most timely. 
The statement has been made that the needs for new research ships as covered 
by 8. 901 will require a construction program that will compress 25 years of 
shipbuilding into 10 years. Actually, in terms of shipbuilding the program 
covered by the bill is quite moderate and there are more than ample idle private 
shipbuilding facilities available to accommodate the program, without strain. 
Subsection (e) of section 21 of S. 901 directs that all ships and surface or 
subsurface craft constructed pursuant to the act be constructed in domestic 
commercial facilities. The council strongly endorses this principle and ap- 
preciates your foresight in including such a provision in the authorization bill 
itself. 
As to.S. 1189, to enable expanded marine research activities by the Coast 
Guard, the proposal appears to be sound. There obviously is an area where the 
worldwide facilities of the Coast Guard would be most useful. However, as any 
such expansion of activity is a matter of internal Government administra- 
tion, the council would prefer to follow the lead of the Coast Guard in respect 
thereto. 
The shipbuilders council, on behalf of its members, urges enactment of the 
Marine Sciences and Research Act of 1951 and the rapid initiation of the vessel 
construction programs it would authorize. 
The incorporation of this letter in the record of the hearing will be appreciated. 
Very truly yours, : 
‘L. R. SANFORD, President. 
The Cuatrman. We will recess until 10 o’clock tomorrow, and I 
thank you all for your patience. 
(Whereupon, at 12:14 p.m., the committee adjourned, to reconvene 
at 10a.m., Friday, March 17, 1961. ) 
