1075 
Now, what is your rationale or reasoning with respect ‘© the pro- 
posal of the Commission to put the Coast Guard in the New NOAA 
structure keeping in mind that it has primarily oriented missions 
relating to search and rescue of course as well as many other roles and 
missions ? Why do you object to that proposal 4 
Dr. Ausrin. I think the key is your comment about the diversity of 
the missions of the Coast Guard both in the time of peace and in the 
time of a national emergency. f 
Undoubtedly the Coast Guard because of their oceanographic 
interests would be involved in some type of a Federal structure 1f there 
was a consolidation. I don’t believe that I am in a position, sir, to state 
either pro or con about the Coast Guard in toto being moved out of the 
Department into whatever the Federal structure would be. 
Mr. Lennon. I would say to you, Doctor, that to a degree the ques- 
tion was raised by the Assistant Secretary of Transportation as to the 
Coast Guard’s roles and missions related to a national emergency. — 
The question was raised, “Then why wasn’t that question raised 
when they moved them from the Department of the Treasury to the 
Department of Transportation?” No one raised the question that it 
could be utilized as a national defense component regardless of where 
it was located by a simple declaration of the need by the Commander 
in Chief, the President. 
The proposal to move out of the Department of the Interior the 
Bureau of Commercial Fisheries and certain aspects of the Bureau of 
Sport Fisheries and Wildlife concerns the Department of the 
Interior. 
They say they have the capability of absorbing the agencies recom- 
mended to go into the new agency into the Department of the Interior. 
That is the substance of their contention. Like the other agencies, they 
sav, “We are ready now to take on these jobs and roles.” 
I have in mind that back as early as 1960 that there was a study 
made and the gentleman who appeared before us the other day was a 
member of that study commission, and they recommended a govern- 
ment structure and they recommended that part of the Coast Guard 
be put into this new government structure. They recommended before 
they finally wrote their report and just before KSA A came into being 
they put in their report that what is now ESAA should be in this new 
government structure, but now they say it 1s doing too good a job in 
the Department of Commerce to be taken out and should be left there. 
But the same argument was made by this same group that it ought 
to be in the new Government structure. So that the committee finds 
itself impaled on not one, but on a number of horns of a dilemma as 
to which way we should go. 
What do you know, Doctor, about the composition of the so-called 
Stratton Commission as to their background? Do you have a high 
professional judgment of those men ? 
Dr. Austr. I knew a number of the gentlemen on the Commission, 
sir, and on the panels, and I have the highest respect for each of them 
that I have known and worked with for many years. 
Mr. Lennon. I don’t think there has ever been a Presidential com- 
mission appointed which really gave more of their time trying to come 
up with a viable national interest report. The men were dedicated 
and sincere. They worked hard for two and a half years. 
