60 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



and agencies; (2) developed a comprehensive, long-range program of 

 oceanographic and marine science activities of Federal agencies, and 

 has transmitted this program to Congress; (3) assisted in fixing 

 responsibility for major oceanographic activities of Federal agencies; 

 (4) provided for effective cooperation among Federal agencies; (5) 

 facilitated the resolution of differences among agencies; and (6) 

 reviewed annually all oceanographic activities of Federal agencies, 

 and transmitted to Congress annually a report on Federal oceano- 

 graphic activities. These are the functions that would be assigned to 

 the proposed National Oceanographic Council. 



The bill raises general questions relating to the structure of the 

 executive branch for dealing with questions of science policy. The 

 Office of Science and Technology was established with the concurrence 

 of the Congress to advise the President on all matters relating to 

 science and technology and to coordinate the activities of the Federal 

 agencies. The bill raises in principle the desirability of establishing 

 a series of national councils in the Office of Science and Technology 

 for areas of high importance to science and technology. This way of 

 organizing to deal with problems of science and technology would 

 raise complicated problems, both for the President and for the major 

 departments. In my judgment it would be anomalous and unwise to 

 establish within the Office of Science and Technology a statutory 

 national council of any kind. The Federal Council for Science and 

 Technology already has the responsibility to advise and assist the 

 President with respect to oceanography. The establishment of a 

 Council reporting to the President within an OflBce which also reports 

 to the President would create confusion and conflicts. The establish- 

 ment of the staff for the Council as proposed in the bill, including an 

 executive secretary appointed by the President by and with the 

 advice and consent of the Senate, would create a staff within a staff 

 in the Office of Science and Technology. It would be difficult if not 

 impossible to set forth clearly the respective duties, authorities, and 

 responsibilities under such an arrangement. 



In addition to the deficiencies of the bill which are rooted in its 

 basic concepts, the bill has a number of questionable provisions. 

 First, it would not be proper for a representative of the Office of 

 Science and Technology, which has general responsibilities, to serve 

 as a member of a national council which may advise the President as 

 an official advocate of a specialized area of science. Second, the 

 functions assigned to the Council include some already assigned by 

 law to other agencies, or already dealt with by other interagency 

 machinery. 



It seems to me that, at this time, questions of scientific and techno- 

 logical substance relating to oceanography should take precedence 

 over questions of organization. A prerequisite to decisions relating 

 to the future development of oceanography is a thorough analysis of 

 the state of the field, identification of points of priority in terms of 

 science, technology, and resources, and the potential contributions of 

 all parties (industry, government, universities, foundations, and 

 private laboratories) to the field. A study group composed of out- 

 standing scientists is being established under the auspices of the 

 President's Science Advisory Committee to review these questions. 

 They are also under study by the National Academy of Sciences 

 Committee on Oceanography. It would seem prudent to withhold 



