NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 109 



iieering Development, a Commission on Marine Science, Engineering, 

 and Resources, and for other purposes. 



The proposed Council would be composed of the Vice President, 

 who would be chairman, the heads of a number of specified agencies, 

 and such additional officials as the President might designate. The 

 bill provides that the Council assist the President in carrying out a 

 number of specified functions in planning and conducting a national 

 oceanographic program. 



The Office of Science and Technology was established in 1962, with 

 the concurrence of the Congress, to advise the President on all scientific 

 and technical matters and to coordinate Federal activities in this area. 

 Tlie Office provides a means whereby the problems and opportunities 

 of competitive scientific areas can be weighed against each other in 

 making program decisions. Establishment of a statutory council 

 would derogate from the functions of the Office in the field of oceanog- 

 raphy and w^ould constitute a precedent for further incursions in 

 other fields. Further, the existing Interagency Committee on Ocean- 

 ography has proven to be an effective mechanism for planning a co- 

 ordinated national program and is sufficiently flexible to accommodate 

 to developments in this rapidly moving scientific area. The need for 

 flexibility in establishing coordinating arrangements was stressed by 

 the President in his message transmitting Reorganization Plan No. 4 

 of 1965 to the Congress, which action led to the abolition of nine 

 statutory boards, councils, and interagency committees. The Presi- 

 dent emphasized that we must have "the capacity for fast flexible 

 response to changing needs imposed by changing circumstances." 



The views of the Bureau of the Budget on the establishment of a 

 study conmiission for oceanography were provided your committee in 

 our letter of July 29, 1965, on H.R. 9064. We noted that a special 

 Panel on Oceanography of the President's Science Advisory Commit- 

 tee is now conducting a broad gage study of the field and that this 

 study will help illuminate further opportunities and needs in oceanog- 

 raphy. Dr. Hornig's letter of July 6, 1965, on H.R. 9064 pointed out 

 that until this panel has completed its review the establishment of any 

 study commission would be premature. 



In the light of the factors cited above, the Bureau of the Budget 

 recommends against enactment of S. 944 and favors, instead, enact- 

 ment of H.R. 2218, which would provide for the establishment of a 

 comprehensive Federal oceanographic program under the leadership 

 of the President. 



Sincerely yours, 



Phillip S. Hughes, 

 Assistant Director for Legislative Reference. 



GENEPtAL Counsel of the Department or Commerce, 



Washington, B.C., August 20, 1965. 

 Hon. Herbert C. Bonner. 



Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 House of Refresentatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Mr. Chairman. This letter is in reply to your request for the 

 views of this Department with respect to S. 944, an act to provide for 

 expanded research and development in the marine environment of 



