1243 
AMERICAN MACHINE & FounpDRY Co., 
Washington, D.C., August 28, 1969. 
Hon. ALTON LENNON, 
House of Representatives, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, Long- 
worth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 
Dear Mr. LENNON: Thank you for sending me a copy of H.R. 13247, along 
with the cover letter asking for my personal views. 
In general, I personally agree with most of the contents of this Bill. However, 
in my opinion, there are two very important subjects deserving further comment: 
1. The most important comment relates to the Advisory Committee staff as 
mentioned on page 17, lines 12 to 14. As stated in the Commission Report, “Our 
Nation and the Sea,” page 246, the Chairman of the Advisory Committee should 
choose his own staff. The proposed Bill, however, leaves it up to the Agency 
Administrator to furnish the staff. I believe this would be a glaring error since 
the Advisory Committee should operate independently of the Agency in order 
for it to be most effective. 
2. Aithough this has rarely been discussed in public, the key to the Hxecutive 
Department reorganization hinges around three, not two, items. These are the 
proposed agency, the advisory committee, and also the establishment of a statu- 
torily established interagency committee to be chaired by the Agency Administra- 
tor. It is spelled out most clearly on page VI-25 of Volume 2, “Industry and 
Technology’ Commission Panel Report, and in earlier testimony to your sub- 
committee by Dr. Chalmer Kirkbridge. It is also discussed in the Commission 
Report on pages 244-245, although in much vaguer language. Only in this way 
can we help insure that the oceanographic programs of the Navy, Army, Interior 
and other key agencies will be coordinated with that of the proposed independent 
agency. Ample precedent for this is cited in the Commission Report. Also, as you 
know, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research and Development used 
to have a second duty, namely that of chairman of the former Interagency 
Committee on Oceanography. 
I believe that the language in paragraph ¢ of page 7 in your Bill is not nearly 
strong enough, nor does it imply the need for a statutorily created Federal 
interagency mechanism. 
Thank you once again for affording me the opportunity to comment on your 
proposed Bill. 
Sincerely yours, 
A. L. LANE. 
Hon. ALTON LENNON, 
Chairman, Subcommittee on Oceanography, House Merchant Marine and 
Fisheries, Longworth Building, Washington, D.C. 
Dear Mr. CHarrMAN. Thank you for your letter enclosing a copy of H.R. 
13247. 
I favor a NOAA to bring together the many agencies of government involved 
in civilian ocean activities. I also favor a NACO to bring the industry, the 
states and the academic community views into the execution of a sound national 
program that has a strong federal input. 
I am concerned that there is a general lack of a sense of urgency in many 
areas with respect to the organization and administration of the ocean programs. 
I attribute this complacency to the failure of many to relate the ocean program 
to the “people” problems that are now pressing in this country. 
I believe that the most pressing ocean problems are those of the coastal zone 
and that these are closely related to our ‘people’ problems. NOAA and NACO 
would facilitate ocean contribute to the solutions of our ‘“‘people” problems. 
I think that the above point, if stressed, would increase the prospects for early 
enactment of H.R. 13247. 
I would welcome the opportunity to discuss this view point with you at your 
convenience. 
Sincerely, 
HH. C. STEPHAN, 
Rear Adm., USN (Retired). 
