6 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



In addition, oceanography serves the missions of a number of 

 Government agencies. These missions could be affected detrimentally 

 if their oceanography supporting functions were transferred to another 

 agency. 



The Coast and Geodetic Survey functions of ESSA. are also related 

 to oceanography but of much greater independent significance. The 

 nautical charting program of ESSA makes an indirect contribution to 

 oceanography but the prime function of the program is based on the 

 policy to provide nautical charts for the mariner. The contribution to 

 scientific knowledge is an incidental bjrproduct of this function. To 

 remove the nautical charting program from the bureau would be to 

 separate it from the necessary supporting functions, such as geodesy, 

 coastal mapping and magnetics. On the other hand, to place the 

 Coast and Geodetic Survey functions of ESSA under the proposed 

 oceanographic agency would place it under the jurisdiction of an 

 agency whose program appears to be more narrowly oriented than its 

 own. 



Oceanography should remain a useful tool for achieving specific 

 public policies and missions. However, the national interest also 

 recognizes that it should be pursued as a science to extend our know- 

 ledge of the oceans. We believe the fii'st properly should remain 

 within the province of the operating agencies. The second falls more 

 within the scope of tne National Science Foundation and coordinated 

 by the Federal Council for Science and Technology. 



The Interagency Committee on Oceanography and the Interde- 

 partmental Committee for Atmospheric Sciences established by the 

 Federal Council for Science and Technology afford sufficient coordi- 

 nation at present to assure a strong national program for research and 

 investigation in oceanography. 



We have been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would 

 be no objection to the submission of our report from the standpoint of 

 the administration's program. 

 Sincerely, 



Burt W. Roper 

 (For Robert E. Giles). 



Department or the Navy, 



Office of the Secretary, 

 Office of Legislative Affairs, 

 Washington, B.C., July 29, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairma/n, Gommittee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of 

 Representatives, Washington, D.C. 

 My Dear Mr. Chairman : Your request for comment on H.R. 921, 

 a bill to establish the National Oceanographic Agency, has been as- 

 signed to this Department by the Secretary of Defense for the prepara- 

 tion of a report thereon expressing the views of the Department of 

 Defense. 



H.R, 921, in brief, would establish the National Oceanographic 

 Agency, including therein meteorology and other close-allied sciences. 

 It would be initially established by the transf erral to it of all f imctions 

 in oceanography and related sciences from other agencies of the U.S. 



