124 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



for the Government program on the oceans consider their effort a part-time job. 

 Every Friday afternoon, time is given to oceanography and the various ocean 

 resources. I am saying that theirs is a full-time job. It requires full-time atten- 

 tion and needs full-time staff personnel. 



What is needed in my opinion is a new agency with a broad mission and with 

 a chief executive who can speak effectively in Congress and elsewhere for the 

 administration regarding our civilian program on the oceans. This is not a Navy 

 responsibility nor is it any longer strictly a matter of science. The legislation 

 I introduced would establish an independent civilian agency. In my opinion, 

 this is still the most desirable approach. I recognize, however, that the job 

 could be accomplished by an expansion of the responsibilities of some division 

 or agency within either the Department of the Interior or the Department of 

 Commerce. There could be an Ocean Resources Service in the Department of 

 the Interior, or ESS A in the Department of Commerce could be expanded to 

 accomplish the job. I do not feel strongly about the structure, but I do feel 

 strongly that the mission of the new agency must be suflficiently broad to unify 

 the program and centralize responsibility. It is my conviction that until this is 

 done we will continue to fail in our program on the oecans. 



Mr. Lennon. Senator, let me commend and compliment you for a 

 most interesting and informative statement. Mr. Mosher, any ques- 

 tions ? 



Mr. MosHER. I don't think I have any questions, Mr. Chairman, but 

 I also want to echo your compliment to the Senator. I think it is a 

 very challenging statement. We are fortunate to have this as the 

 kickoff of these hearings. 



I am a little curious, Senator. You several times have suggested 

 that the administration has failed to live up to some of its opportunities 

 in this field recently. 



Do you want to be more specific? Do you want to suggest what 

 you think the administration might have done in the last few years? 



Senator Bartlett. Surely. I added some words of my own to the 

 prepared text. I said past administrations too. I think there has been 

 a failure on the part of recent administrations to recognize the im- 

 portance of this broad subject. I think there is an understandable 

 reluctance on the part of these 22 agencies that are now concerned in 

 the effort, in whatever manner it may be, to endorse a unification 

 program, because of a natural bureaucratic fear that to do so would 

 rob them of some of their authority. But I can't see for the life of 

 me how we can do what we need to do, so urgently need to do, unless 

 there is a unification of this effort. 



It has proliferated now to an unnecessary and inefficient extent 

 and I would hope, out of the hearings you are holding now, and out of 

 similar, comparable hearings, that I hope will be held on the Senate 

 side, that we may focus attention on this very important problem to the 

 point where someone in the administration will say, "Wliat goes on 

 here ? We haven't paid enough attention to this. We are glad that 

 the congressional committees called this to our attention and brought 

 it into focus." And then get busy and try to do the job which is re- 

 quired to be done. 



Mr. MosHER. You are really suggesting that the initiative is going 

 to have to come from the Congress, that we can stimulate the ad- 

 ministration by some action here, is that right ? 



Senator Bartlett. Precisely. As you and I know, often the stimu- 

 lation has to come from Congress in other areas as well. 



Mr. MosHER. That is all, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. Mr. Casev. 



