NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 165 



Foundation, HPjW, Atomic Energy, Smithsonian, State, National 

 Academy of Sciences, Bureau of the Budget, Oflice of Science and 

 Teclmolog-y, and the Bureau of the Navy, or Office of tlie Navy. It 

 seems like this is a pretty comprehensive cross-section of the existing 

 departments that are involved in this program at the present time. 

 I am simply trying to understand how your Council would differ from 

 what we already have set up in the ICO. 



The ICO apparently has not functioned to the satisfaction of Con- 

 gress, and I am interested in seeing differentiation you are making. 



Mr. HuoT. Well, isn't the ICO strictly an advisory group to these 

 others ? 



Mr. Keinecke. Pretty much so. 



Mr. HuoT. And has no power as a coordinating agency that this 

 Council would have. It has no power to get this information from 

 all these. It merely advises, as I understand, the various departments. 

 It is an advisory grovip. 



Mr. Reinecke. Do you feel that your bill is structured strong enough 

 so that this coordinating function would be ejffective? 



Mr. HuoT. Well, it is probably structured as strongly as it evei* 

 has a chance of getting anywhere. Any stronger bill probably would 

 not get very far. I think it is a beginning, and it also provides for it 

 to propose legislation which would probably, as time went on, give us 

 much better results. I hope that this would provide better results than 

 we are having now, in expanding the field of oceanography, but legis- 

 lation could come out of this Council, through this Council, rather, 

 that would continually improve the operation. 



As I said earlier, we are not being critical of any other agency or 

 anything. It is only a hope to expand this field of oceanography of 

 which it is felt that it certainly has not advanced as fast as many 

 other areas of our Government operations. 



Mr. Reinecke. Thank you very much. 



No further questions. 



Mr. Lennon. I think the fundamental difference there, if I covild 

 be permitted to comment on what you said. Congressman, is the fact 

 that, under the language of the legislation, there would be statutory 

 establishment of a coordinating committee in the Office of the Presi- 

 dent as distinguished between an ad hoc committee with no statutory 

 authorization, except unless you want to relate it back to the inherent 

 power of the President and the Office of Science and Technology, as 

 advisers to him, to do it. This would establish, by statute, and there- 

 fore permit the Congress to share — well, I won't say "share" in the 

 responsibility, because Congress has to take responsibility for almost 

 everything that does not turn out all right, but I think there is a mean- 

 ingful difference there. 



Are there other questions, gentlemen, of this witness ? 

 If not, thank you very much, gentlemen. We appreciate your pr^- 

 ence. And, if you want to amplify your remarks, why, the record 

 will be open for at least 10 days for that purpose. Congressman. 

 Mr. HuoT. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. 

 Mr. Lennon. Congressman Bob Wilson. Would you return, please 

 sir? 



