NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 21 



of the legislative branch of the Government that the present mech- 

 ainism for planning and review may not be adequate. The varying 

 nature of the individual solutions to the problem represented by these 

 bills is a fair indication of the complexity of the problem. 



We believe that there is a growing need for a perspective in which 

 the oceanographic programs of the Federal Government can be more 

 clearly seen in relation to each other and in relation to the national 

 goals which they support. All of these bills contain some features 

 which could be helpful in carrying out a national oceanographic pro- 

 gram. The position of the executive branch, however, is that H.K,. 

 2218 should be enacted, but that the enactment of any of the other 

 bills would be premature at this time. This position is based on the 

 premise that the President's Science Advisory Committee's Panel on 

 Oceanography is at the present time making the kind of investigation 

 and study that is contemplated by H.R. 9064. When the Panel 

 completes its study and submits its report Congress can more ap- 

 propriately decide whether additional legislation dealing either with a 

 further study or with a revised governmental organization to adminis- 

 ter the national oceanographic program should be enacted. 



The recommendation that legislative action should be deferred is 

 not intended to cast any doubt on the importance of the subject. 

 President Johnson has recently stated his intention that the United 

 States shall maintain leadership in ocean science and technology and 

 their economic, military, and social applications. 



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

 the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the adminis- 

 tration's program. 



Sincerely yours, 



Clarence F. Pautzke, 

 Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Interior. 



National Academy of Sciences, 



Washington, D.C., April 23, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Congressman Bonner: Over the last 3 months you have 

 been kind enough to refer to us for our information, and such comment 

 as we might wish to make, several bills having to do with the Federal 

 Government's arrangements for developing, coordination, and funding 

 the national oceanographic program. 



Our Committee on Oceanography has welcomed the opportunity 

 to review these bills. The Committee has long recognized the need 

 for a more unified approach to the oceanography program among the 

 Federal agencies. The Committee considers such an approach to 

 be especially desirable with reference to those elements of the program 

 that involve the missions of several different agencies, for example, 

 the study of air-sea interactions, the development and use of deep- 

 diving vehicles and other means of deep-sea investigation, and the 

 study of ocean resources. 



While the Committee does not have an adequate basis for recom- 

 mending a particular mechanism for achieving the desired unity of 



