NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHIC PROGRAM LEGISLATION 611 



National Academy of Sciences, 



National Research Council, 

 Committee on Oceanography, 

 Washington, B.C., August 2, 1965. 

 Hon. Alton Lennon, 



Chairman, Subcommittee on Ocea/nography, 

 House Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, 

 Washington, B.C. 



Dear Congressman Lennon : On behalf of the Committee on Oceanography of 

 the National Academy of Sciences-National Research Council, I wish to express 

 our interest in the hearings you have scheduled on the various pending bills 

 directed to strengthening the Nation's oceanographic program, especially through 

 providing improved means of consolidating or coordinating the activities of the 

 numerous agencies involved in ocean research and development. 



Our committee has recognized the need for the national oceanographic pro- 

 gram to be developed and funded in a more unified manner, and the imiwrtance 

 of establishing some new machinery in the executive branch and the Congress 

 to make this possible. Although individual members, in their personal capacities, 

 have commented in favor of some of the bill, the committee feels that it does not 

 have a basis for recommending the best solution to this problem. 



We sincerely hope that the hearings which your committee is holding will be 

 most useful toward the formulation of appropriate legislation. 

 Sincerely yours, 



M. B. Schaefer, Chairman, 



(Whereupon, at 11 :30 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.) 



