100 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



legal problems related to the oceans and ocean beds have already been 

 probed. We feel that a new study by the United States is not needed 

 at this time. If such a study is undertaken however, we would not 

 ■object, provided that it is conducted by the Secretary of the Interior, 

 in consultation with the Secretary of State and other interested 

 Federal agencies. Since any study would involve questions of rights 

 and jurisdictions of other nations and the responsibilities of this 

 Department, we believe it would be more appropriate for these two 

 Departments, rather than the U.S. Coast Guard, to conduct the 

 study. 



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

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

 tration's program. 



Sincerely yours, 



John A. Carver, Jr., 

 Under Secretary oj the Interior. 



Department of Justice, 

 Washington, B.C., May 7, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House oj Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman: This is in response to your request for the 

 views of the Department of Justice on H.R. 5175, a bill providing for a 

 study of the legal problems of management, use, and control of the 

 natural resources of the oceans and ocean beds. 



The bill would authorize the U.S. Coast Guard to conduct, by 

 contract or otherwise, a study of the legal problems arising out of the 

 management, use, and control of the natural resoiu"ces of the oceans 

 and ocean beds, and to that end would authorize the appropriation of 

 $50,000. 



The subject of the bill concerns natural resources and in some aspects 

 also may affect foreign relations, matters which are of primary concern 

 to the Department of the Interior and the Department of State, 

 respectively. Accordingly, it is suggested that the committee may 

 wish to consult those Departments on the measure. 



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

 the submission of this report from the standpoint of the administra- 

 tion's program. 

 Sincerely, 



Ramsey Clark, 

 Deputy Attorney General. 



National Academy of Sciences, 



Washington, D.C, April 6, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner, 

 House oj Representatives, 

 Washington, D.C. 



Dear Congressman Bonner: The Committee on Oceanography 

 heartily endorses H.R. 5175, a bill providing for a study of the legal 

 problems arising out of the management, use, and control of the 

 natural resources of the oceans and ocean beds. Such a study should 



