331 



We have had discussions during the past months with the Office 

 of the Secretary of Defense, and with the Secretary, in regard to 

 the manner in which this responsibility might best be carried out. 

 It is his stated policy that it is practical and proper for the Navy 

 when it identifies areas in which its support should be given to other 

 Federal Government organizations — but where the particular work to 

 be done cannot be justified specifically as a national security matter — 

 to volunteer essentially to undertake the work, to present to the Con- 

 gress the possibility of doing this, and to request that funds be ap- 

 propriated specifically so that it can undertake non-national security 

 work in support of other portions of the national marine program. 



We have not yet come to the Congress with such a request, but it 

 is possible that as various developments take place in the Federal 

 program it will be appropriate for us to do so. 



I think with these comments, Mr. Chairman, I have completed what 

 I would like to say formally, and I stand ready to answer any 

 questions. 



Mr. Lennon. Mr. Secretary, are you generally the designee of the 

 Secretary of the Navy to participate in the National Council's monthly 

 meetings which have been going on now, on a monthly basis, since 

 August 17 of 1966? 



Dr. Fkosch. Mr. Chairman, I am not. The Secretary of the Navy, 

 himself, is the designee of the Secretary of Defense to be the Depart- 

 ment of Defense representative on the Council, and the Secretary of 

 the Navy has attended either all or all but one of the Council's meet- 

 ings personally. 



I have generally gone with him to assist him should he wish any 

 information that I might be able to provide. 



Mr. Lennon. My recollection of the language of the act is that the 

 Secretary of the Navy is a member and does not have to be designated 

 by the Secretary of Defense to participate in the Council. Isn't that 

 true ? 



Dr. Frosch. I think that is correct, but in any case there was a for- 

 mal designation, even though the act so stated. 



Mr. Lennon. The reason I ask you that is I noted from the minutes 

 of several meetings of the Council that you had been present. 



Dr. Frosch. Yes. 



Mr. Lennon. I would like for you to, if you will, give us off the top 

 of your head, your impressions of the activities of the Council since 

 its first meeting on August 17 of last year. 



Dr. Frosch. Mr. Chairman, I was present at many of those meetmgs 

 not only to assist the Secretary of the Navy but also as Chairman of 

 the Interagency Committee on Oceanography, before the formation 

 of the present committee. 



The Council has been extremely active. It has met a number of 

 times, as you know, with the Vice President always in the chair. It 

 has had excellent representation at those meetings from the various 

 departments and agencies that are members. 



Perhaps its major activity, in my mind, has been an attempt to find 

 new ways and new initiatives which would enhance our national pro- 

 gram as well as to examine the existing programs and see whether 

 there are areas in which interdepartmental and joint departmental 

 cooperation might strengthen the program. 



