21 



With regard to the dates, the legislation sets forth a mandate which 

 has no termination date. However, the two instruments to implement 

 the mandate, the Council and the Commission, are both temporary, as 

 you suggest. 



My recollection is that the Commission is obliged 'by the legislation 

 to render its report no later than 18 months after its appointment, 

 which means July 1968, about 11 months hence. Thirty days later the 

 Commission expires. 



Our Council, according to terms of the legislation, terminates 

 within 120 days after the Commission, renders its report; that is in 

 November of 1968. I believe the intent of the Congress in making the 

 Coimcil temporary was to leave all the options open for the Commis- 

 sion to recommend whatever permanent structure seemed best to serve 

 the various maritime interests mentioned previously without feeling 

 that the presence of the Council, if it had been made permanent at 

 that time, would inhibit them. Those of us associated with the Council 

 have the feeling that this was a wise move from several points of view, 

 but among these is the question as to whether or not the Council is the 

 right mechanism. 



In any event, the Council is only temporary. Both Council and Com- 

 mission then will disappear next year. 



Mr. Karth. Mr. Chairman, if I may just follow that line of question- 

 ing briefly, this July date means, then, that just about the time we are 

 getting into the heat of the presidential campaign, if I may be very 

 candid about it, is the time that you will be making the report to the 

 Congress of the United States. 



I am interested in oceanography. I am somewhat doubtful that the 

 report will get the attention that it really ought to get and otherwise 

 would get, if it were not being submitted to the Congress at that time 

 period. Then, because the Commission and the Council just auto- 

 matically, by virtue of the law, goes out of existence shortly there- 

 after on or about election day, I am sure is not wise timing. 



I don't expect you to be able to answer these political questions, but 

 from the standpoint of making the kind of comprehensive study and 

 a very intelligent report on the basis of recommendations, on the basis 

 of your study, I wonder if that, notwithstanding the other problems I 

 see, is sufficient time with some 27 agencies and the national security 

 and everything else being involved ? 



INIr. MosHER, Will the gentleman yield ? 



Mr. Karth. Yes, I yield. 



Mr. MosHER. I am delighted to have you raise this subject. It hap- 

 pens that Mr. Lennon and I both have talked to Dr. AVenk about this 

 very fact that the timing seems most unfortunate, particularly in 

 terms of the political calendar and also the need for a longer study. 



I, for one, would very much favor taking the initiative here in this 

 committee to extend the life of both the Commission and the Council. 

 I think you have raised a very important question. 



Mr. Karth. I thank the gentleman. 



I might say that I have not talked to Dr. Wenk about this. Dr. 

 Wenk, let me ask you this question : If this committee decides to ex- 

 tend both the Council and the Commission for 3 or 4 or 5 months, at 

 least sufficient time to get over the political campaign, when I hon- 

 estly feel that the Congress will not give the attention to the report 

 that it ought to give and as a result I feel that a good deal of the work 



