505 



view of the study assignment to the Advisory Council on Executive Organization, 

 we would not be in a position to comment substantively on the Commission's re- 

 organization proposals. 



In light of these considerations, therefore, we would prefer not to testify at 

 this time. 



Sincerely, 



Robert P. Mayo, 



Director. 



National Science Foundation, 



Office of the Director, 

 Washington, D.C., June 4, 1969. 

 Hon. Alton Lennon, 



Chairman, Subcommittee on Oceanography, Committee on Merchant Marine and 

 Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. 



Dear Me. Lennon : This letter is in response to your letter to me of April 25, 

 1969, in which you requested my general views on the recent Report of the Com- 

 mission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources entitled "Our Nation and 

 the Sea," and in which you requested an indication of the time period during 

 which I might be available to present testimony to the Subcommittee. I would be 

 pleased to testify before your Subcommittee and express my views and recom- 

 mendations on those items of key interest in this Report. As a member of the 

 Marine Sciences Council and as Director of the National Science Foundation I 

 have studied the Report carefully and have asked the Foundation's staff to study 

 it, with particular reference to the important responsibilities of this agency in 

 increasing our national capability in marine science, technology and education. 



I have a great deal of admiration for the painstaking, thoughtful and selfless 

 efforts of the Commission and its stafE. The extreme depth and detail of the Report 

 require that it be given careful study, a study that will take considerable time 

 since the Commission Panel reports have just been received and are in the process 

 of being analyzed. We concur with several of the Commission's recommendations 

 regarding the augmentation of existing programs and initiation of new ones. I 

 believe that the cognizant agencies should move as rapidly as possible to carry 

 out the national oceanographic effort without awaiting the longer term decisions 

 and actions that should be made before any Federal reorganization. The Founda- 

 tion is ready to do its part in this regard and is taking steps, within available 

 funds, to implement those recommendations that fall within its purview and 

 responsibility. 



In regard to the recommendation of the report concerning the establishment of 

 an independent agency, I believe various facets of the problem need further 

 study. The argument that marine programs in non-mission agencies or agencies 

 that traditionally have a land mission often receive less attention than warranted 

 and relatively low priority from their administrators is demonstrable ; however, 

 these shortcomings could be corrected easily through assignment of higher pri- 

 ority to marine programs hy the Executive and the Congress. Moreover, we do 

 not believe that the problems related to integrated planning and coordination 

 required within such a large and complex agency have been fully addressed. 



While one of the most persuasive arguments for an independent agency is that 

 a high priority for a national ocean program must have adequate coherence and 

 balance to develop a constituency and to be of suflBcient size to command an 

 adequate share of the Federal budget, this must be weighed against the adverse 

 effects upon the overall missions of agencies consequent to the removal of marine 

 elements. Moerover, we believe that judgments on this whole matter must await 

 the thorough consideration now being given by the Administration to the Report 

 of the Commission on Marine Science, Engineering and Resources. This con- 

 sideration must take place in the context of other concerns relating to the Fed- 

 eral Government organization in the general spheres of the environment, the 

 natural resources, and science and technology, and, indeed, in the context of 

 government organization as a whole. 



Since the Commission Report is now under study by the Administration, I 

 believe it is premature to express my conclusions at the present time. Insofar 

 as a time period for testifying before your Subcommittee is concerned, I will be 

 available during any mutually convenient time during the month of June. 

 Sincerely yours, 



Leland J. Haworth, 



Director. 



