132 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



I was disappointed that the Senate didn't go ahead and act on that 

 bill, knowing that the President would sign it — I had that assurance — 

 but with the understanding in our informal conferences with all of 

 the agencies of the Federal Government, including the office of the 

 President, if we did not attain the agreed objective that we were 

 seeking, that witliin a period of not more than 2 years we would come 

 back then and msist upon the establishment of a definite agency that 

 would have the total and complete responsibility for administering 

 and implementing the some 10 or 12 agencies of the Federal Govern- 

 ment which participate in various facets of oceanography. 



In retrospect, I might say that if we had passed that bill in the 

 Congress and it had been signed into law in August of 1963 before 

 that session adjourned we might be back here today not seeking some- 

 thing such as we are, but seeking to determine whether or not that 

 legislation had provided or set the stage and implemented what we had 

 in mind, and we could be reviewing it and then looking toward and 

 considering the necessity of legislation such as is being presented here 

 today, so I must confess my disappointment. 



Do you want to add to that ? 



Senator Bartlett. I should only say in response to your comment, 

 Mr. Chairman, that I am confident that Mr. Drewry would make a 

 much better witness than I on this general subject. I can only say that 

 I shall carry your words from here to there. 



Mr. Lennox. I have tried to carry them, not to my counterpart, 

 because he is the head of the full committee, and we have had some 

 discussion about that. 



Senator Bartlett. I think it all points up as nothing else could 

 the complexity of the situation. 



Mr. Lenxon. The difficulties we have and how complex it is. I 

 agree with that. Thank you so much. "We do appreciate it. We 

 think we have started this hearing on the right foot with your state- 

 ment. Mr. Reinecke. 



Mr. Reinecke. Thank you. I too would like to thank the Senator 

 and express my appreciation for his fine statement. 



To make it brief, in your statement you indicate your preference, 

 though not a strong one, toward an independent and civilian agency. 

 How do you see this agency working in conjunction with the various 

 departments of the Federal Government that are now involved in 

 the various oceanographic endeavors ? 



Senator Bartlett. I would think that my plan would be entirely 

 useless unless it were constituted in such a fashion that the Commis- 

 sion would have some real basic authority over the departments in 

 this area. 



We know Senator Muskie has offered another approach and I dare- 

 say many others will come. My idea perhaps was that in gi-adual way 

 we should seek to bring together these efforts, which are very consider- 

 able, among the many departments and the multitude of agencies, but 

 which I fear aren't too well coordinated. 



It follows I think rather naturally that if we want to, and, as I 

 sense it it is a strong feeling of this cormnittee that we do want to 

 have a broad, comprehensive, fast-moving program on the oceans, it 

 never can take place if it is directed by agency A, B, and down through 

 22 of them. We have to get together some way or other and have 

 top direction. 



