NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 467 



Our past experience has demonstrated that our U.S. national wel- 

 fare depends upon the quality, scope, and vi^or of our scientific 

 achievements. As a member of the Science and Astronautics Com- 

 mittee of the House of Representatives, I see the real need of substan- 

 tial support for a sound oceanography program as it is now so small 

 in comparison to our U.S. space achievements through the National 

 Aeronautics and Space Administration and the U.S. Air Force. There 

 is a tremendous need for a far-reaching U.S. national scientific effort, 

 conquest of the ocean, the last remaining frontier of our planet, and our 

 lbi2:gest earth challenge yet. Here are discoveries that wait Avhich we 

 can't imagine, and wealth and liigher living standards for all the 

 world's peoples. Food, metals, minerals, and all the earth's treasures 

 in great abundance await man in our oceans and seas. 



The oceanographic research budget for fiscal year 1966 of $78,031,000 

 is reallv dwarfed in relation to the currently authorized NASA budget 

 of $5,190,396,200. We must make a sound start in exploring the phe- 

 nomena of our oceans and Great Lakes. 



Because I feel the modification, control, and exploitation of the 

 ocean environment to meet our growing human needs will require a 

 -control organization, I am supporting strongly the proposed Oceano- 

 graphic Council. The Council will be composed of the Vice Presi- 

 dent, certain Cabinet members, including the Secretary of the Interior, 

 and certain other heads of agencies, including the Director of the 

 Office of Science and Technology. 



The function of the Council is to advise and to assist the President 

 in the field of oceanography and marine sciences and to survey all sig- 

 nificant oceanographic and marine science activities. The Council 

 would develop a comprehensive program of activities that would be 

 administered by the departments and agencies of the Federal Gov- 

 ernment. 



Of great importance to our Nation is the strategic importance of 

 the ocean. The cloak of concealment that is virtually opaque to all 

 forms of energy (except sound) is of immense military significaiice. 

 The Polaris deterrent, antisubmarine and mine countermeasure forces, 

 aircraft carriers, and amphibious forces, all depend for safe effective 

 operation on accurate knowledge of the ocean environment. There- 

 fore for i)urposes of U.S. national defense and free world security, it 

 is essential that the oceans and seas be observed and studied from sur- 

 face to its floor. 



I am particularly interested in presenting a sound oceanography bill 

 to Congress to assist in meeting the ever present problem of world 

 population explosion. In the underdeveloped areas of the world, the 

 ocean with its huge and inefficiently exploited food resources is of tre- 

 mendous importance to the peoples of all nations. The supply of min- 

 eral resources on land is limited, while the ocean contains at least 65 

 basic elements and already provides substantial quantities of mag- 

 nesium, bromine, and salt. Many scientists believe that additional 

 untold resources await oceanographic research. 



The problem of ocean pollution from industrial wastes carried by 

 the river of inland States such as Pennsylvania is one for our country's 

 consideration. Information is needed concerning the capacity of the 

 ocean to eliminate harmful pollution effects and at the same time pro- 

 tect marine organisms. The fishing, shipping, mining, and petroleum 



