78' jstational oceaxographic program legislation 



to provide for economic development of the Continental Shelf, to 

 provide for expanded research in the oceans and the Great Lakes, to 

 establish a National Oceanographic Council, and for other purposes. 



H.R. 7S49 would establish in the Executive Office of the President a 

 National Oceanographic Council, consisting of the heads of 10 Federal 

 departments and agencies with the Vice President of the United States 

 as Chairman. The function of the Council would be to ad^nse and 

 assist the President in connection with matters involvmg oceanography 

 and the marine sciences. The Council would have a staff headed by a 

 ci\Tlian Executive Secretary appointed by the President, by and with 

 the advice and consent of the Senate. 



The bill would also establish a Marine Exploration and Develop- 

 ment Commission, consisting of two members appointed from private 

 fife, one of whom would be Chau'man of the Commission, the Secre- 

 tary of Defense, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of 

 Commerce. It would be the responsibility of the Commission to 

 formulate and carry o^ut programs for exploration and development 

 of the marine resom"ces of the Continental Shelf and waters above the 

 Continental SheK. Such programs would include, among others, 

 marine exploration, expeditions and sm'veys, and the making of 

 gi'ants, loans or cost-sharing arrangements for marine exploration, and 

 economic development activities by scientific institutions and industry. 



As you know, the national program in oceanography is being 

 coordinated through the Interagency Committee on Oceanography 

 of the Federal Council for Science and Technology. We believe 

 that this organizational arrangement is proving satisfactory* for carry- 

 ing on the Nation's oceanographic effort and that such problems as 

 have arisen do not warrant establishment of the high level council 

 envisaged by H.R. 7S49. 



With regard to the proposed Marine Exploration and Develop- 

 ment Commission, it is our view that the problems involved in the 

 exploration and development of the Continental Shelf are stUl largely 

 undefined. Information is not yet available regarding the kinds of 

 programs that should be undertaken or the amounts of money which 

 might be necessary to carry out such activities. We believe that the 

 administrative mechanism for carn,'ing out such activities should be 

 considered in the light of the programs to be conducted. In this 

 connection, the President's Science Advisory Committee has estab- 

 lished a Panel on Oceanography, which will be considering recommen- 

 dations regarding national policies with respect to oceanography, 

 including matters such as those contemplated bv this portion of H.R. 

 7S49. 



While we consider the aims of H.R, 7849 highly important ones, in 

 view of the above considerations, we recommend against its enact- 

 ment. 



The Bureau of the Budget has advised us it has no objection to the 

 submission of this report from the standpoint of the administration's 

 program . 



Sincerely yours, 



BowEX C. D^ns, Acting Director. 



