NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 243 



Dr. HoLLOMON. I SO stated in my testimony, and I will reiterate, I 

 believe this is highly desirable. 

 Mr. Dow. Thank you, sir. 

 That is all, Mr. Chairman. 

 Mr. Lennon. Thank you. Mr. Dow. 

 Mr. Reinecke ? 

 Mr. Reinecke. Yes, sir. 

 Dr. HoUomon, on page 3, you say : 



I think there must be increased attention to oceanography within the executive 

 branch and that there must be strengthened leadership in those areas 



Dr. HoLLOMON. Yes, sir. 



Mr. Reinecke. You apparently don't want to rock the boat. You 

 like things pretty much as they are, in general. 



Where do you think this increased motivation is going to come 

 from? 



Dr. HoLLOMON. It strikes me— the reason I was laughing is because 

 some of the feelings of others in the executive branch and elsewhere is 

 I do like to rock the boat, and sometimes I feel the boat is rocking so 

 badly I can hardly keep on it. 



Mr. Reinecke. We haven't noticed that here this morning. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. I have suggested that initiative might come from 

 either or both. I strongly recommend that the Congress look at the 

 programs that are now underway, and decide whether or not they be- 

 lieve they are adequate and whether, for example, in the exploration of 

 the Continental Shelf, we are doing enough work in the country, in the 

 country's interest. 



My suggestion is, however, that the agencies that ought to be respon- 

 sible are identified within the general complex of things. I have taken 

 initiative to start the study with Coast Survey as to what we ought to 

 do on the Continental Shelf. 



We have sought increases from the Congress each year for our ocean- 

 ographic program, every year since I have been in Washington, and 

 we have increased our capability within those activities which we have. 

 We intend to strengthen it by hiring additional pople. I think that 

 the level of the effort is determined by the level of the appropriations, 

 in large measure. 



Mr. Reinecke. Well, I think the reason we have so many bills and 

 bills of such diversity is simply that the members of Congress are, 

 frankly, frustrated at the slow motion on the part of the executive 

 branch, and, yet, if we don't make some fairly drastic administrative 

 changes, I don't see any reason why the executive is going to do any 

 more now than it has in the past. We have no reason to think that you 

 will change the dead-center type of programs that we feel that you 

 have. 



Dr. HoLLOMON. I make two suggestions in this regard : One is that 

 I strongly believe that Congress should look at the oceanographic pro- 

 gram as a whole. Somebody, somewhere in Congress, should look at 

 this program as a whole. 



According to the suggestions in the bill we are discussing, it is 

 that we would have to present an annual plan, and that it be reviewed 

 in terms of the oncoming appropriation and possible legislative 

 changes. I think that the fact that we look at oceanography in so 



