NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 477 



That has been the testimony before this committee by many people 

 and organizations outside of the Government that are engaged in 

 oceanography. 



Mr. SEmMAN. Well, as I think I indicated in my statement, there 

 has been a substantial increase in the Federal expenditures for ocean- 

 ography since 1961. And there has been a small increase since last 

 year, and a larger percentage of that is in ocean surveys and reserach 

 because a large amount of the fmids previously had gone into capital 

 requirements in providing ships. 



May I just add, Mr. Chairman, I think this issue runs to the pro- 

 gram and program level rather than coordinating arrangements. 



I do not think a statutory council would contribute much to solving 

 this particular problem. 



Mr. Lennon. But out of the budget for fiscal 1966 for the national 

 oceanographic progi-am, by agency, the Department of Defense, more 

 particularly the Navy, of course, gets about 50 percent of the total 

 budget ; is that right ? 



Mr. Seidmajst. That is correct. 



Mr. Lennon. Sir; $67,999,000 against $141 million. That is just 

 under half of the total budget. 



Mr. Seidmax. For 1966, it would be $68 million in defense, the next 

 largest amount would be $30 million in the National Science Founda- 

 tion. 



Mr. Lennox. Now, since ESSA has been established in the Depart- 

 ment of Commerce, and their counsel, in a letter addressed to the 

 committee, says that they have autliority to contract and to make f ur- 

 veys of the Continental Shelf, and their spokesman here the other day 

 indicated that there had been a contract recently signed by ESSA 

 of the Department of Commerce f,or the survey of a part of the Con- 

 tinental Shelf. 



Do you know how much is involved in that contract, Doctor, in 

 dollars and cents as affected against its totaL budget of $13 million for 

 1966? 



Mr. SEmMAN. No, sir; I do not know. I do not have the answer 

 on that. We could provide it for the record. 



(The following information was supplied for the record :) 



Continental Shelf Study bt Commerce 



The Coast and Geodetic Surv'ey signed a study contract with the Battelle 

 Memorial Institute in May 1965, for $55,000. The study is to extend over a 

 14-week period, and the report should be completed by mid-September. The 

 objectives of the study are — 



1. To identify the present and likely futur'e economic benefits that can 

 be derived from the present and possible future activities of Commerce's 

 survey activities in the Continental Shelf regions ; 



2. To consider the capability of the Department for meeting future user 

 needs identified in this program ; and 



3. To delineate present and future geographical regions of commercial 

 interest in the Continental Shelf ar'eas. 



The study is intended for use in planning Commerce's future programs. On 

 August 19. 1965, the Department supplied the House Committee on IVIerchant 

 Marine and Fisheries with background on this project, including a copy of the 

 contract. 



Mr. Lennon. Well, you say that a substantial part of the fiscal 

 year 1966 budget is to be spent in surveys ? 



