94 national oceanographic program legislation 



National Science Foundation, 



Office of the Director, 

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

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in further reply to your request for 

 the comments of the National Science Foundation on H.R. 9064, 

 which would establish a National Commission on Oceanography. 



The Commission proposed in H.K. 9064 would be composed of 

 15 members appointed by the President. Its membership would 

 include five representatives from Government, five from industry, 

 and five from universities or laboratories engaged in oceanographic 

 activities. The Commission's function would be to make a compre- 

 hensive study of oceanography in order to recommend an overall 

 plan for an adequate national oceanographic program. 



In this connection, the President's Science Advisory Committee 

 has established a Panel on Oceanography, which will be considering 

 recommendations regarding national policies in this area. It may 

 be that the Panel, after its deliberations have concluded, will recom- 

 mend creation of a group similar to that proposed in H.R. 9064. 

 Whether such a recommendation will be made, however, is contingent 

 upon the conclusions of the Panel. 



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

 ment of H.R. 9064. 



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, 



Bo WEN C. Dees, Acting Director. 



Executive Office of the President, 



Office of Science and Technology, 



Washington, July 6, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



■ Dear Mr. Chairman: I am pleased to have the opportunity to 

 comment on H.R. 9064, a bill to establish a National Commission on 

 Oceanography. Although fully concurring with the purposes of the 

 bill, to conduct a comprehensive investigation and study of all aspects 

 of oceanography in order to recommend an overall plan for an adequate 

 national oceanographic program that will meet the present and future 

 national needs, I do not believe the Commission established by 

 H.R. 9064 would be desirable. 



. The functions of the proposed Commission, to review — the known 

 and contemplated needs for natural resources from the oceans; the 

 surveys, applied research programs, and ocean engineering projects; 

 the existing national research programs; and the existing Government 

 and industrial oceanographic and ocean engineering programs, includ- 

 ing education and technical training, are essentially the same as those 

 of the President's Science Advisory Committee's Panel on Oceanog- 



