III. REORGANIZATION OF FEDERAL OCEAN-RELATED 



ACTIVITIES 



Government organization in oceanic affairs and the Federal ocean 

 budget will receive close attention from the National Ocean Policy 

 Study in the 94th Congress. The Study will work closely with the Com- 

 mittee on Government Operations to examine proposals for improv- 

 ing agency programs. This effort will focus on the National Oceanic 

 and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the Department of Com- 

 merce and marine-related functions of the Department of the Interior, 

 the U.S. Coast Guard of the Department of Transportation, the Na- 

 tional Science Foundation, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the 

 Oceanographer of the Navy, and others. One goal of the Study will 

 be to recommend alternative arangements in Government organization 

 in order to improve the efficiency of the Federal government's efforts 

 in the areas of marine science and oceanic affairs. 



At the request of the National Ocean Policy Study, the General 

 Accounting Office has undertaken an extensive survey of all Federal 

 ocean programs and their budgets. The first of two volumes to emerge 

 from GAO's study was released in February 1975. It contains a de- 

 tailed breakdown of all marine activities in the Federal structure and 

 itemized budgets for those activities covering fiscal years 1972 

 through 1975. The second volume, a GAO analysis of the problems 

 inherent in current organization and funding practices, is expected in 

 May 1975. 



Additionally, the Congressional Research Service of the Library 

 of Congress is preparing a paper tracing the evolution of the current 

 Federal organization in marine affairs and examing two alternative 

 reorganization proposals. The first alternative is the establishment of 

 an independent oceanic agency with NOAA as the central core but 

 comprised also of several important oceanic programs currently 

 housed within other agencies and departments. The second alternative 

 is the creation of a new Cabinet department combining important 

 oceanic, atmospheric and environmental functions. 



The Study plans to solicit the views and ideas of members of the 

 marine affairs and environmental communities as well as experts in 

 organization and intergovernmental relations through one or more 

 symposia to be held in cooperation with the Library of Congress. If 

 appropriate, these fact-finding efforts will be followed by the introduc- 

 tion of legislation and the scheduling of joint hearings with the Com- 

 mittee on Government Operations. 



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