946 
Mr. Lennon. When did the President request the Ash Commission 
to include in its study the recommendations of the so-called Stratton 
Commission ? 
Mr. Trary. I do not know the answer to that question, sir. I have 
been informed by the Bureau of the Budget that such a referral has 
been made. 
Mr. Lennon. Specifically, on May 19. We have a copy of that memo- 
randum for the staff, signed by the President, in this hearing record. 
Now, today is September 24 I believe or thereabouts. On September 
10th of this year, having in our possession the memorandum for Mr. 
Ash by the President, of May 19, we called the Commission to ask them 
if they were in a position to give us their views with respect to this 
request made upon them by the President onMay 19. 
I say this because I was surprised to find out that the gentlemen 
who preceded you, representing, respectively, the Department of 
Transportation and the Department of Commerce, did know about it. 
We asked the Commission if they could give us their views. They 
advised us by letter dated September 11 that, “We hope to launch this 
study sometime within the next month or two.” 
Now, let’s see if we can put a timetable on that. May 19 to September 
11, and they advise us that they hope to launch the study within the 
next month or two. That would put us up in November at the earliest, 
a month or two. 
They said, “After we get into this problem, we will be in a better 
position to estimate how long it may take after that time.” 
Now, you didn’t know that. The Under Secretary of Transporta- 
tion who spoke for the Secretary of Transportation didn’t know that. 
The Assistant Secretary of Commerce didn’t know that, but we knew 
it, and how long do we have to wait on these things, do you suppose? 
I say how long do we have to wait on these things, do you suppose? 
Mr. Trary. Well Mr. Chairman, I am sure that the so-called Ash 
Committee will get at this as expeditiously as it can. 
Mr. Lennon. Well, are vou specifically recommending that not only 
we defer it, but, speaking for the Department of the Interior, that you 
are opposed to the enactment of the legislation that is now a vehicle for 
the consideration of this committee which provides for the implemen- 
tation of the Commission’s report to the degree of establishing a Goy- 
ernment structure as recommended by the Comission and the creation 
of a national council as recommended by the Commission ? 
Are you saying that officially you all oppose it? 
Mr. Tratn. I would prefer to break that down a bit, sir, because 
I believe the Department would wholeheartedly support the estab- 
lishment of the National Advisory Council. 
Mr. Lennon. ‘Are you recommending that the bill not be enacted ? 
Are you recommending that ? : 
Mr. Train. We recommend deferment of action on this bill on the 
proposal to establish NOAA until such time as the Ash Committee has 
reported. That is our position at this time. 
Mr. Lennon. Well, at this point I ask that there be inserted in the 
record a letter addressed to the Honorable Edward A. Garmatz, Sep- 
tember 25, 1969, signed by you, where you recommend that the bill not 
be enacted. 
