NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 43 



Department of the Navy, 

 Office of Legislative Affairs, 



Washington, D.C., July 29, 1966. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



My Dear Mr. Chairman: Your request for comment on H.R. 5884 

 and H.R. 6009, identical bills to provide a program of marine explora- 

 tion and development of the resources of the Continental Shelf, has 

 been assigned to this Department by the Secretary of Defense for the 

 preparation of a report thereon expressing the views of the Department 

 of Defense. 



H.R. 5884 and H.R. 6009 would encourage private exploitation of 

 the resources of the U.S. Continental Shelf by establishing a Marine 

 Exploration and Development Commission and a Marine Exploration 

 and Development Fund. The Commission working closely with other 

 agencies, would administer the fund to carry out programs of engineer- 

 ing and exploration as required to exploit the Continental Shelf for the 

 benefit of the United States. 



Numerous Federal agencies are already engaged in the exploration 

 and survey of these submerged areas. Some of these agencies, such as 

 the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, Geological Survey, and Bureau of 

 Mines are specifically concerned with the exploitation of the resources 

 contained therein. The Department of Defense has many programs of 

 marine research, surveys, and engineering directed toward the solution 

 of Department of Defense problems which, at the same time, provide 

 information directly applicable to the purposes of the bills. These 

 multiagency efforts are presently coordinated by the Interagency Com- 

 mittee on Oceanography. 



It is considered that the purposes of the bills would be better 

 accomplished by strengthening the existing capabilities and organiza- 

 tion in this area to achieve maximum utilization of these efforts before 

 any attempt is made to set up a special commission to do the job. 

 For example, the Navy's deep submergence program might take on 

 additional responsibilities in marine engineering development and thus 

 pro^dde an effective mechanism for exploiting the shelf whUe at the 

 same time satisfying the mission requirements of the Navy. 



In view of the foregoing, the Department of the Navy, on behalf of 

 the Department of Defense, is opposed to the enactment of H.R. 5884 

 and H.R. 6009. 



This report has been coordinated within the Department of Defense 

 in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. 

 The Bureau of the Budget advises that, from the standpoint of the 

 administration's program, there is no objection to the presentation of 

 this report on H.R. 5884 and H.R. 6009 for the consideration of the 

 committee. 



Sincerely yours, 



M. K. Disney, 

 Captain, U.S. Navy, 

 Director, Legislative Division 

 (For the Secretary of the Navy) . 



