274 NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 



A tsunami ^yal'ning■ service for Hawaii and States bordering 

 the Pacific Ocean has been established ; 



Witli the advice and assistance of oceanographers, an extensive 

 network of submarine cables has been laid across the Atlantic and 

 Pacific by industry in a way which avoids natural hazards ; 



Extensive mineral deposits have been discovered on the sea 

 floor ; 



The nature of the sea in terms of the shape and structure of the 

 sea floor, the effect of radioactive materials on marine life, the 

 interaction between the sea and the atmosphere, and the dispersion 

 of pollutants is certainly better understood than it was 5 years 

 ago. 



In short, in considering what new steps to take, it is important to 

 recognize that we have built up a very good program in oceanog- 

 raphy. The question now is how to make it better, how to reconcile 

 the need to satisfy a variety of purposes and still to have a coordinated, 

 coherent program. 



The existence of scientific and technological programs having com- 

 mon characteristics divided among a number of agencies is not unique 

 to oceanography. There are a number of such programs and each re- 

 quires coordination to achieve the greatest economy and efficiency in 

 Government operations as a whole. 



This situation is often encountered because science and teclinology 

 is simply not organized to fit the structure of the Federal Govern- 

 ment, wdth agencies established for various purposes and assig-ned to 

 accomplisli diverse missions. When we identify programs in science 

 and technology that several agencies depend upon to fulfill their mis- 

 sions, then some means of coordination must be developed. 



At this point I would like to review for the committee how the Ex- 

 ecutive Oifice of the President is organized to handle the problem of 

 Government-wide program coordination. In the Executive Office 

 there is the Office of Science and Technology, a small executive agency 

 established with the approval of the Congress by Reorganization Plan 

 No. 2 of 1962, to insure the President has adequate staff support in de- 

 veloping policies and evaluating programs, to insure that science and 

 techno] ogj^ are used most effectively in the interests of national secu- 

 rity and general welfare. 



Although the OST, as it is called, reports directly to the President, 

 it is ultimately responsible to the Congress, as are other executive agen- 

 cies. I am the Director of OST, and I also serve in a different but re- 

 lated capacity as Special Assistant to the President for Science and 

 Technology. 



The essential task of OST, insofar as oceanography is concerned, 

 is to advise and assist the President with problems of science policy 

 and with the coordination of Federal activities in science and tech- 

 nology in concert, with the Bureau of the Budget. 



Anadditional function of OST, which I consider to be of great im- 

 portance, is to serv^e as a point of contact and communication with 

 Congress on scientific and technical issues, especially those of a Gov- 

 ernment-wide character, such as oceanography. Recognizing the im- 

 portance of oceanography in the activities of OST, I have recently 

 recruited an outstanding oceanographer from the Scripps Institution 

 of Oceanography, Dr. Menard, to serve on my staff. 



