947 
T ask unanimous consent that this letter be inserted in the record at 
this point. 
I guess you knew we had that. 
Mr. Tran. Yes, sir. Ras 
Mr. Lennon. I don’t know whether we were supposed to get it after 
you testified today or not, but we got it this morning. 
(The letter follows:) 
DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, 
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, 
Washington, D.C., September 23, 1969. 
Hon. Epwarp A. GARMATZ, 
Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representa- 
tives, Washington, D.C. 
Drar Mr. CHAIRMAN: Your Committee has requested the views of this Depart- 
ment on H.R. 13247, a bill “To amend the Marine Resources and Hngineering 
Development Act of 1966 to establish a comprehensive and long-range national 
program of research, development, technical services, exploration and utiliza- 
tion with respect to our marine and atmospheric environment.” 
We recommend that the bill not be enacted. 
H.R. 13247 would provide for the creation of a new Federal agency, the 
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, to serve as a principal instrumen- 
tality in the Federal Government for administration and coordination of civil 
marine and atmospheric programs. It would also provide for an advisory com- 
mission, the National Advisory Commission for Oceans and Atmosphere, to 
review continuously and make recommendations to the President and Congress 
on the status of these programs. This proposal follows closely the recommenda- 
tions contained in chapter 7 of the January 1969 publication. Our Nation and the 
Sea, a report of the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources. 
With respect to the report’s organization recommendations, President Nixon 
on May 19, 1969, requested the Advisory Council on Executive Organization to 
examine carefully the Commission’s proposal in the broad context of Federal 
organization. Part of President Nixon’s request to the Advisory Council on 
Executive Organization was to compare the Commission’s proposals with alter- 
nate ways for coordinating and advancing national development of marine 
sciences. Therefore, we believe that any attempt to create a new independent 
agency that would include all civilian marine and atmospheric activities is 
premature at this time. No such legislation would seem appropriate until the 
Advisory Council on Executive Organization has completed its study and pre- 
sented its findings to the President. 
The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to the pres- 
entation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration’s program. 
Sincerely yours, 
RUSSELL EH. TRAIN, 
Under Secretary of the Interior. 
Mr. Petty. Mr. Chairman, would you yield? 
Mr. Lennon. Yes. 
Mr. Prtiy. I have been listening to your questioning, and I sympa- 
thize with your patience, but I was thinking back to the Hoover 
Commission on reorganization of the Federal Government and how 
long that took. I hope you will be a little understanding about this 
administration and its desire to reorganize on a sound basis consider- 
ing all the various departments of Government that are concerned. I 
just hope that you will be a little easy on this witness because he 
hasn’t anything to do with it. 
Mr. Lennon. I will say to my distinguished friend that if the mem- 
bers of the former administration would be here taking the position 
that the members of the new administration are taking, I wouldn't 
be half as tolerant or as dispassionate as I have been this morning. I 
think I would really try to chew them out, and I think they would 
deserve it. 
