110 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



the United States, to establish a National Council on Marine Re- 

 sources and Engineering Development, and a Conunission on Marine 

 Science, Engineering, and Resources, and for other purposes. 



S. 944 would set forth national objectives for marine science activi- 

 ties and would establish a National Council on Marine Resources and 

 Engineering Development composed principally of Cabinet level 

 officers. The Council would advice and assist the President by sur- 

 veying present marine science activities, developing a marine science 

 program, coordinating the agencies' marine science activities, study- 

 ing the legal problems arising out of use of marine resources and 

 annually comparing Federal marine science accomplishments against 

 the Council's marine science program. The Council would be au- 

 thorized to employ an executive secretary and staff. S. 944 would 

 also authorize the President to establish an investigatory commis- 

 sion to assist the Council and the President, and require the President 

 to report annually to Congress on his marine science program and 

 on present accomplishments. 



The Department strongly supports improvements in and greater 

 emphasis for the national oceanographic or marine sciences program. 

 However, we doubt that S. 944 would have enough beneficial effect 

 upon oceanographic activities to offset the detrimental effect it would 

 have upon the administration of oceanography as a whole. 



The Interagency Committee on Oceanography has had consider- 

 able success in coordinating and stimulating Federal oceanographic 

 activities, and we are therefore not aware of overriding reasons for 

 replacing it. The proposed National Council on Marine Resources 

 and Engineering Development would not change the realities in- 

 volved in setting priorities and apportioning limited funds among 

 less limited demands within the agencies. There is no reason to be- 

 lieve that Council review of the national oceanographic or marine 

 sciences program before its submission to the agencies would keep 

 any agency from balancing its oceanographic program needs against 

 the needs of its other programs. On the other hand, creation of the 

 proposed Council Avould place additional demands directly upon 

 Cabinet officers and agency heads who already have heavy burdens 

 of responsibility. 



If the Council supplants the Interagency Committee on Ocean- 

 ography, the limited amount of personal time which the Council 

 members could devote to Council activities might result in less con- 

 sideration of oceanography within the executive branch than pres- 

 ently exists. If the Council and the Interagency Committee on 

 Oceanography both exist there will be substantial duplication of 

 efforts and possible conflict of proposed programs. We think it is 

 better to leave oceanographic planning and coordination in the hands 

 of the policy and operating officials who work with the oceanographic 

 program, serve on the Interagency Committee on Oceanography and 

 who are thus most qualified to advise the President on its needs. 



For these reasons, the Department strongly favors the objectives of 

 the act but is opposed to the establishment of a Council to accomplish 

 these objectives. Subject to our additional comments referred to 

 below, we would favor the act if it were amended to permit the Presi- 

 dent to establish such mechanisms as he believes necessary to ac- 

 complish these objectives. 



