88 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



Oceanography engages in a continuing examination of long range 

 oceanographic planning. 



The recently established NAS National Academy of Engineering 

 plans to set up a Committee on Ocean Engineering to work closely 

 with the NAS Committee on Oceanography in the future development 

 of long range oceanographic matters of interest to industry. The 

 National Security Industrial Association is also active in making 

 recommendations regarding a national oceanographic progi-am. 



In view of the comprehensive short and long range planning being 

 carried on by the Federal Government and by organizations, com- 

 posed of representatives of industry, universities and laboratories, 

 whose recommendations are given careful consideration in the formu- 

 lation of the Government's program in oceanography, it is not clear 

 that the establishment of a National Commission on Oceanography 

 as proposed by the bill would be of substantial benefit to the national 

 oceanographic program. It is the Commission's view that the Na- 

 tion's interests in oceanography can best be served by adequate 

 support of the present efforts. 



The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection 

 to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the ad- 

 ministration's program. 

 Sincerely yours, 



John V, Vinciguerra 

 (For the General Manager). 



Executive Office of the President, 



Bureau of the Budget, 

 Washington, D.C., July 29, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in reply to your letter of June 21, 

 1965, requesting the views of the Bureau of the Budget on H.R. 

 9064, a bill to establish a National Commission on Oceanography. 

 The bill would create a temporary commission to "make a compre- 

 hensive investigation and study of all aspects of oceanography in 

 order to recommend an overall plan for an adequate national oceano- 

 graphic program that will meet the present and future national 

 needs." It would submit a final report of its findings and recom- 

 mendations within 2 years. 



In its report to you of July 6, 1965, the Office of Science and Tech- 

 nology has pointed out that a study like that proposed to be made 

 by the Commission is already being carried out by the special Panel 

 on Oceanography of the President's Science Advisory Committee. 

 A principaradvantage of conducting a study of programs in one field 

 of science through the machinery of the President's Science Advisory 

 Committee is that the objectives and opportunities in that field can 

 be weighed against the competing claims of other fields of science. 

 A statutory Commission concerned with a single scientific field 

 would necessarily lack the breadth of perspective which would be 

 desirable. Its mission would not permit it to assess the relative 

 priorities of oceanography in relation to those of other scientific 



