1245 
The policies and objectives of the Proposed Agency, coupled with the Functions 
and Powers assigned, is a major step which would provide the Executive Branch 
with the tools with which to solve our most immediate ocean resource manage- 
ment problems. 
I am aware of, and support, the Administration’s objectives in setting up the 
Ash Committee to review and recommend a more modern and effective organi- 
zation of the Executive Branch. However, as one who has been intimately 
involved in the exploration and exploitation of the oceans’ living and nonliving 
resources, and who, through cooperation as well as competition, has been exposed 
to the Federal and industrial resources of foreign countries which have recog- 
nized the ocean’s potentials, I believe the time to act is now. 
An emphasis at the Federal level including a National Posture of words and a 
Wational Program of action is imperative. 
A two-year delay in starting the program will cost several billions of dollars 
more than starting now to restore many of our marine resources. It will aiso 
cause our balance of payments to suffer, for perhaps years, if we do not compete 
with the rest of the world in Research and Development in the ocean. Other 
countries will be in the ‘‘Production Stage” in the ocean while the United States 
is catching up on Research and Development. 
Surely U.S. fisheries and maritime industries alone provide an adequate 
example of what we can expect in the future. In fish products our balance of 
payments is a negative number of several hundred million dollars, and tariffs 
are not the answer. 
I strongly support this Bill and am urging my colleagues in industry to do so 
also. 
LIONEL 8S. JOHNS, 
Director of Corporate Marketing, Ocean Science and Engineering. 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 
Washington, D.C., October 28, 1969. 
Hon. ALToN LENNON, 
Chairman, Subcommittee on Oceanography, Merchant Marine and Fisheries 
Committee, Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 
Drar ALTON: Pnclosed find a review of H.R. 13247 written by a member of 
my committee on Oceanography who is head of the Department of Oceanography 
at Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. 
I think his comments are cogent and would hope with your approval they 
could be placed in the record. 
Most sincerely, 
Lou Frey, Jr. 
Enclosure. 
Department of Oceanography 
Florida Insitute of Technology 
Melbourne, Fla. 
MEMO 
To: Ron Ring. 
From: George Webster. 
Date: October 20, 1969. 
Subject: Comments on H.R. 13247, a Bill to Establish a National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Agency. 
The passage of this bill would appear to do much for the promotion of the 
development of the oceans for the benefit of our citizens. The following benefits 
come to mind immediately : 
1. There is an overall advantage to having most oceanographic research and 
development in a single agency. Although the proliferation of Government agen- 
cies is not to be encouraged, the advantages in this particular instance would 
seem to be similar to the advantages attained when various space activities of 
the Navy, Army, Air Force, and other Government agencies were transferred 
to NAGA to form the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. The focus 
of effort relating to space in this instance was both dramatic and extremely 
productive, and it would not be surprising if a similar focus in NOAA would 
be equally productive, although probably not auite so dramatic. 
