82 XATIOXAL OCEAXOGRAPHIC PROGR.\:vI LEGISLATION 



ities sponsored by the various governmental agencies. Only in this 

 way can an effective, integrated, truly national program be developed. 

 It was for this purpose that the Interagency Committee on Oceanog- 

 raphy was estal^lished in 1960 b}^ the Federal Coimcil for Science and 

 Technology. Its membership represents the Departments of State, 

 Treasmy, Defense, Interior, Commerce, Health, Education, and 

 Welfare, and the Smithsonian Institution, Atomic Energy Commission, 

 and National Science Foundation. This Committee has achieved 

 considerable success in furthering national goals while supporting the 

 missions of the individual agencies. There woidd be no effect on the 

 conduct of our foreign relations if the proposed Council were substitut- 

 ed for the Interagency Committee, and, therefore, the Department 

 woidd interpose no objection to the creation of such a Council. How- 

 ever, creation of such a Council would more du'ectly affect the domes- 

 tic operation oceanographic agencies, and due consideration should 

 be accorded their views on the matter. 



If the Congress should decide to create the Council, the legislation 

 might create a position of full-time Chairman of the Council to coordi- 

 nate policy and action and to direct the staff. The Vice President 

 coidd still be given the responsibihty for overseeing and coordinating 

 oceanographic acti\'ities within the executive branch in such legislation, 

 but would not, of course, be Chairman of the Council since the Chair- 

 man would report to the Federal Council for Science and Technology. 

 This change coidd be accomplished through minor changes in the bill. 



The Department does not believe that the proposed Marine Explora- 

 tion and Development Commission would have any adverse effect on 

 the conduct of our foreign relations, and therefore would interpose no 

 objection to its creation. In fact, the Department believes that the 

 Commission might prove most helpful in the development of oceanic 

 capability and use which woidd not only provide a source of raw ma- 

 terials for our economy, as contemplated by the bill, but also forestall 

 domination of the ocean by forces inimical to our welfare. 



The Department is disturbed, however, that the bill is sUent on the 

 relationship between the Council and the Commission, should it be 

 decided to create both, or the relationship between the Commission 

 and the existing Government oceanic community should it be decided 

 to create only the Commission. It is suggested that, in the first 

 instance, the Chairm.an of the Commission shoidd be made a member 

 of the Council. If the suggestion made above regarding a fidl-time 

 Chairman for the Council is adopted, he might also be the Chairman 

 of the Commission. It should also be made clear that the provisions of 

 section 201(e) apply to the Commission. If the Council is not estab- 

 lished, provisions shoidd be inserted in the sections dealing \^dth the 

 Commission requiring cooperation vdih other Government agencies 

 engaged in oceanic endeavors. 



The following comments are directed to specific provisions or 

 sections of the bill, shoidd the Congress determine that it should be 

 enacted. 



1. Section 102(3): This section defines the term '"Continental 

 Shelf" in a somewhat different way from the way the term is defined 

 in the Convention on the Continental Shelf, 1958. Since the rights 

 of the United States derive from the convention, it is our view that 

 any implementing or supporting legislation should conform sub- 

 stantially to the convention. As defined in the convention, the term 



