NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 53 



(1) "marine sciences" shall be deemed to apply also to scientific endeavors 

 in and with relation to the Great Lakes. 



(2) "oceanography" includes, but is not limited to, the acquisition, as- 

 sembling, processing, and dissemination of all scientific and technological 

 oceanographic and related environmental data, including, but not limited to, 

 physical, geological, biological, fisheries, hydrographic and coastal survey, 

 meteorological, climatological, and geophysical data. 



(b) There is hereby authorized to be appropriated not Lo exceed $800,000 

 per fiscal year to carry out this Act. 



Atomic Energy Commission, 

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

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives. 



Dear Mr. Bonner: The Atomic Energy Commission is pleased to 

 comment on H.R. 6457, a bill to provide for a comprehensive, long- 

 range, and coordinated national program in oceanography, and for 

 other purposes. 



As you know, the Atomic Energy Commission was one of the four 

 Federal agencies that first suggested and participated in efforts to 

 coordinate the national program in oceanography. The Federal 

 Council for Science and Technology (FCST) created by Executive 

 Order No. 10807 on March 13, 1959, established the permanent 

 Interagency Committee on Oceanography (ICO) by letter dated 

 March 3, 1960, from George Kistiakowsky, Chairman of the FCST, 

 to the Honorable James H. Wakelin, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the 

 Navy for Research and Development. A primary function of the 

 ICO has been to coordinate the activities of various agencies having 

 an interest in oceanography and related marine sciences. There is 

 also an FCST Committee on Water Resources Research which is 

 concerned with coordinating research activities of the various agencies 

 on fresh water resources, including research pertaining to the Great 

 Lakes. 



It is the AEC's understanding that the proposed biU would in effect 

 substitute a National Oceanographic Council for the ICO as the 

 primary coordinator of agency activities in the field of oceanography, 

 and for the FCST Committee on Water Resources Research as the 

 primary coordinator of agency research activities in the field of 

 fresh water resources to the extent that those activities concern the 

 Great Lakes. While the Commission is in accord with the substantive 

 purpose and intent of the proposed legislation, it is our belief that such 

 a substitution is not necessary or appropriate at this time in view of 

 the effective coordination of agency efforts in this field by the ICO 

 and the FCST Committee on Water Resources Research. 



Should the bill be considered for passage, however, the Commission 

 suggests that changes as set forth below be made. 



Subsection 3(b) of the bill would require the head of each agency 

 represented on the Council to designate from among those officers of 

 his agency "* * * who were appointed to their offices by the President 

 with the advice and consent of the Senate, an officer to serve as 

 representative on the Council." The Commission suggests that a 

 provision be added authorizing each representative on the Council 

 to designate another officer of his agency to serve on the Council as 



