963 
reau in it, and the Coast Guard, which has the ships, has appeared 
separately. If we were to have NOAA they would be coordinated. 
So it seems to me that there are an awful lot of arguments that can 
be advanced, but I don’t think the Nixon administration has really 
evidenced any sense of urgency. I am particularly concerned that at 
this late date they would plan to form yet another commission. I 
would have thought, a la Jack Kennedy, that they would have had 
those commissions back in October and November and December. They 
knew they were going to win. 
They ought to have been ready for the job. With that I will close 
my comments. 
Mr. Tratn. Mr. Keith, this isn’t particularly relevant I suppose, 
but I will say this. As some evidence of an effort within the Depart- 
ment to give proper emphasis to this field, I would suppose that since 
I have been in the Department personally I have spent more time on 
marine resource matters than on any other single subject, by far. 
Now, I mention that for what consolation it might be, perhaps none, 
but I think it does indicate the interest within the Department and the 
reality of our commitment. 
Mr. Kerru. I know that you have. I have been in touch with your 
office and I think that the reason you are forced to is that the situa- 
tion is in such a quandary. This committee has recognized these prob- 
lems for years. We pleaded with the Johnson administration to do 
something about it. We passed legislation on this subject which Presi- 
dent Kennedy pocket vetoed back in 1961, I believe. 
T had a bill which would have provided $50 million for on-the-job 
training in the use of these resources of the sea. That was my ap- 
proach—stop fooling around with more plans and commissions. Sub- 
sidize, to some extent, industries’ efforts on the offshore shelf and 
make it a joint effort. What we would learn and gain in the way of 
revenues would have compensated for the cost. 
It was just as simple as that. This was one of the packages that was 
taken into consideration, but we finally came up with a. bill in 1961 
which would have established some more specific action. That was 
pocket vetoed. 
So we know in this committee, probably better than any place else 
in the country, about the problems that you have had to face. But we 
do feel that they have been built up long enough—that there has been 
enough research done, with enough good minds devoted to the prob- 
lem, so that you should be able to look over the list of people who 
served on this commission and find one of them as your coordinator. 
Sam Lawrence has gotten away from you and gone perhaps to a 
Canadian position, but there are people who could have provided con- 
tinuity. Maybe you have them. I wish I had one on my staff. These 
people could have done all the thinking that you are having to redo, 
because of this new assignment. 
T certainly do appreciate that Secretary Train has spent a great deal 
of time on all of these matters that I have discussed. There are just 
too many and they are too detailed and difficult. 
Mr. Tratn. Thank you, Mr. Keith. 
Mr. Lennon. Thank you, very much. Let’s go off the record a minute. 
(Discussion off the record.) 
