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have the funds available to support additional ships at the research 
institutions. 
Mr. Mosner. Mr. Chairman, could I make a comment? 
Mr. Lennon. Mr. Mosher. 
Mr. Mosuer. I think it is the feeling of the members of the House 
who generally support NOAA, or the NOAA concept, that this con- 
centration and coordination of effort in the new agency would attract 
support for these oceanic functions such as Congress has never offered 
before. 
Jt would attract new impetus, new enthusiasm, and would provide 
the opportunity for the supplying of resources such as efforts in the 
oceans have not had before. 
I think you are absolutley right on page 6 where you say that clearly: 
The large number of functions assigned to NOAA would require 
more resources than will be brought to it by the organizations that 
will come together. 
We all recognize that, but I think we who support it feel very 
strongly and confidently that Congress would soon give this priority 
attention and supply these added resources. 
Mr. Lennon. Thank you, sir. 
What happens to the crews of these vessels, these new vessels and 
old vessels in the hydrographic and oceanography field that you are 
mothballing now ? 
Dr. Froscx. The crews of the vessels that are operated under MSTS 
are employees of MSTS, and I would presume that they are employed 
on other ships if MSTS has the budget and resources to employ them. 
Otherwise, they would be likely to be caught up in a reduction of 
force as is happening elsewhere in the Navy civilian organization. 
Mr. Lennon. Let me ask you to comment on this: 
Now that Congress has authorized and funded the construction of 
these vessels to conduct what you have persuaded the Congress to 
authorize and construct them for, that is to conduct important marine 
surveys. Is it sound management practice to tie up these vessels when 
the administration is insisting upon the IDOE and the importance 
of charting our continental shelves ? 
They say in one breath, “We must chart our Continental Shelves. 
We must move forward in the IDOE.” This is the administration 
position. 
But at the same time you are tying up and mothballing these im- 
pore: vessels which would be related to this type of survey, aren’t 
you! 
Dr. Froscu. Mr. Chairman, this is an important mission and some- 
thing we want to carry out, but the basic strength of the Navy is also 
an important mission which this administration and previous admin- 
istrations have emphasized. Faced with fiscal stringency, we have to 
balance the places in which we take cuts in budget, and frequently the 
choice almost comes down to the distinction between the number of 
fighting ships in the Navy and the number of research ships in the 
Navy. 
We don’t cut either one completely at the expense of the other. We 
try to balance and cut both when we must. 
Mr. Lennon. Let me ask you this question: What was the figure for 
fiscal 1970 for ship construction for the Navy, this year? 
