Table 9-1.—Federal advisory committees, commissions, and councils related to ocean affairs (continued) 
Mok USL reo Nah eer sihtaney een wit densoe eben nereiett ila i aie Si aS a 
Department of Transportation 
Coast Guard Research Advisory Committee 
National Boating Advisory Council 
New York Harbor Vessel Traffic System Advisory Committee 
Rules of the Road Advisory Committee 
Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Advisory Board 
Ship Structure Committee 
Towing Industry Advisory Committee 
Environmental Protection Agency 
Science Advisory Board 
Federal Communications Commission 
Radio Technical Commission for Marine Services 
RTMC Special Committee No. 69/WARC (World Administrative Radio Conference) Advisory Committee for Maritime 
Mobile Service 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Ocean Dynamics Advisory Subcommittee 
National Science Foundaiion 
Advisory Committee for Division of Atmospheric Sciences 
Advisory Committee for Division of Earth Sciences 
Advisory Committee for Division of Environmental Biology 
Advisory Committee for Division of Ocean Sciences 
Advisory Committee for Division of Polar Programs 
Marine Mammal Commission 
Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals 
of the marine and atmospheric science and serv- 
ice programs; 
e Advise the Secretary of Commerce with respect 
to the carrying out of the programs administered 
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Ad- 
ministration; 
© Submit an annual report to the President and 
the Congress setting forth an assessment of the 
status of the Nation’s marine and atmospheric 
activities; and ‘ 
® Submit such other reports as may be requested 
by the President or the Congress. 
NACOA has submitted six annual reports. Em- 
phasis changes from year to year, however, NACOA 
has reviewed and made recommendations concerning 
fisheries, coastal zone management, Law of the Sea, 
marine transportation, marine science and engineer- 
ing, and reorganization of Federal ocean programs. 
Special reports have been issued on the Sea Grant 
Program, ocean engineering and other subjects re- 
quested by the Congress and the Executive. NACOA 
has concentrated on evaluating Federal programs 
within the executive branch, although it has also 
dealt with legislative questions. 
Seidman has observed that “what the Government 
basically wants from advisory committees is not 
expert advice, .. . but support.” ** Advisory com- 
4 Harold Seidman, op. cit, note 9, p. 239. 
mittee members frequently act as program mis- 
sionaries and serve as a kernel of grass-roots sup- 
port for mobilizing efforts to influence Congress and 
promote a program within the executive branch. 
Because specialized advisory committees have the 
potential for representing special interests at the 
expense of the general interest of the public, the 
impact of advisory committee recommendations is 
substantially undermined. 
National Academies of Sciences and Engineering 
The quasi-governmental committees operating 
under the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) 
and Engineering (NAE) through the National Re- 
search Council (NRC), although not official govern- 
mental advisory bodies, stand in a special relation- 
ship to the Government because of the stature of 
their membership. Membership in the academies is 
by peer election from among distinguished members 
of the science and engineering disciplines. The Na- 
tional Research Council (NRC) was organized as a 
subsidiary to the academies in order to broaden the 
representation among scientists and technologists in 
the furtherance of science and technology for the 
benefit of the public. Participation in NRC studies 
and panels does not require membership in the NAS 
or NAE as a prerequisite. NRC has become the 
operational arm for the NAS/NAE, while the latter 
function more as honorary organizations and provide 
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