90 



Mr. McElroy. Yes, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. Lennon. They have. 



Congressman Anderson, you may proceed. 



STATEMEITT OF HON. JOHN B. ANDERSON, A REPRESENTATIVE IN 

 CONGRESS FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS 



Mr. ANDERSoisr. Thank you very much. 



Mr, Chairman and members of the Oceanography Subcommittee of 

 the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. 



I am most grateful for this opportunity to appear before you today 

 and discuss with you the report of the Commission on Marine Science, 

 Engineering, and Resources, "Our Nation and the Sea." 



When I first indicated an interest in the Stratton Commission re- 

 port earlier this year more than one American expressed surprise that 

 a Congressman from landlocked Rockford, 111., should get excited 

 about oceanography, but I have replied to those who have had some 

 interest in the fact that it is not so unusual when you consider that I 

 am located along the Rock River and my district borders on the Missis- 

 sippi River and my State on Lake Michigan and the latter two bodies 

 of water both received some attention from this Commission. 



But more importantly than that I am deeply concerned about the 

 problems and the needs of our Nation, and indeed, all mankind. We 

 are all linked by our land-air-sea environment and we are all linked 

 by the shrinking nature of our planet and the problems this portends. 



As people become more and more numerous and as land and re- 

 sources become more and more scarce, we must seek new ways to cope 

 with this imminent crisis. I might add that at this very hour in an- 

 other part of the Capitol two administration witnesses, members of 

 the Cabinet, are testifying in connection with a war on hunger in this 

 country and anyone who has read books like the book by Dr. Ehrlich 

 on the Population Bomb knows that when we talk about the problem, 

 the very imminent problem of having resources enough to feed the 

 world, we are not talking about something that is merely academic. 



The upcoming decade of the oceans holds great promise and high 

 adventure in man's quest to meet his growing needs on this last great 

 frontier on earth — a frontier spanning over two-thirds of the earth's 

 surface yet one which we have barely skimmed. 



I am happy that the Congress recognized this potential back in 1966 

 with the passage of the Marine Resources and Engineering Develop- 

 ment Act calling for a national ocean program. 



This committee certainly ought to be commended for the excellent 

 leadership it has exerted and continues to exert in this area, and the 

 Marine Resources Council and Marine Science Commission deserve 

 our highest praise for the fine work they have done to date. 



But the Commission has expired and left us with an impressive re- 

 port and set of recommendations and the life of the Council has been 

 extended for only 1 year. We must now decide what to do about the 

 Stratton Commission report and what direction our national ocean 

 program will take when the Council is disbanded. 



Again, parenthetically I might add that another reason that has 

 prompted my interest in testifying before this distinguished subcom- 

 mittee today is that like many of you I recognize the fact that in the 



