152 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



out of deference to the other gentleman to question you about it. 

 Could you be here tomorrow for just a few minutes at 10 o'clock? 



Mr. Fascell. I will certainly try. I have a committee hearing of 

 my own tomorrow so I don't know what kind of conflict I might have 

 but I will be happy to work with Mr. Drewry or the committee and 

 try to answer any questions. 



Mr. Lennon. Thank you very much. 



Mr. Fascell. Thank you, Mr, Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon, Our next witness is Congressman Huot, who is the 

 sponsor of H.E. 7Y98, which is identical to Senate bill 944. 



Congressman, we are sorry you were delayed. You know how these 

 things work out. You just go right ahead, sir. We won't interrupt 

 you. 



STATEMENT OF HON. J. OLIVA HUOT, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 

 CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE 



Mr. HuoT. I appreciate your problem and I guess we all have a 

 problem when it comes to meetings. 



Mr. Lennon. Did you want to bring, since we won't be able to get 

 into the question period, your expert, who I see sitting alongside you, 

 on this subject matter ? 



You go ahead. 



Mr. HuoT. We will probably have that tomorrow then. I want to 

 say, Mr. Chairman, that I welcome the opportunity to express my 

 feelings relative to H.K. 7798 — legislation that I introduced in the 

 Congress on May 3 to establish a directing and coordinating body con- 

 cerned with strengthening the Nation's efforts in the vast area of 

 oceanographic research and development. 



Mr. Chairman, the fact that we are meeting here today, the many 

 bills presently before Congress, and the present keen interest by the 

 scientific, commercial, and industrial segments of our society attest 

 to the great need for a formal and intensive national commitment to 

 the exploration and utilization of hydrospace. 



I would first like to congratulate the agencies and departments of 

 our Government now engaged in hydrospace activity for the degree 

 of progress they have made to date. 



I would specifically like to single out the Interagency Committee on 

 Oceanography for their efforts in pursuit of a logical program of 

 oceanographic development. 



I am sure we all agree that it is in the national interest to fully 

 explore the greatest potential source of resources on this planet. I am 

 also sure we all agree that this potential has remained untapped far 

 too long. 



I am equally sure we do not agree on the most effective means to ac- 

 complish a hydrospace program, as my bill is a similar bill to Mr. 

 Fascell's. 



As Mr. Fascell has already indicated, though we do not agree in 

 this area we would probably come to some agreement if something 

 could be done. 



However, as he has pointed out, we agree that something ought to 

 be done and we have to start somewhere. Let us then look at how the 



