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Dr. Wittte. You will have greater authorities testifying on that 

 than myself, particularly Dr. Chapman, who is one of the leading 

 authorities. It is a difficult problem and difficult to define. The scien- | 

 tists we assembled for this special optimum sustainable population 

 workshop had difficulty, referenced by the fact they could only come 

 up with a range for the lower limit of optimum sustainable popula- 

 tion. 



Mr. Forsythe. You have a whole lot of figures that are estimates, 

 which is all we have to operate with. You have come up with this 

 6,600 take which will still allow the stock to increase. 



Dr. White. In a sense, we are prisoners of carrying out the pro- 

 visions of the act as written. And we really do not have a choice, as 

 the courts have told us, in interpretating it otherwise. 

 Mr. Forsythe. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 



Mr. de la Garza. Mr. Chairman, may I ask a question while there 

 is a lull? 



Mr. Leggett. There is no lull, but go ahead. I was thinking. I just 

 was not making any noise. 



Mr. de la Garza. I, among the others, have introduced legislation 

 that proposed regulations be sent to the committee of jurisdiction 

 before being published by the different agencies in the departments 

 of the government. 

 Do you care to comment on that? 



Dr. White. I would like to reserve my comments. We welcome 

 the views of the members at all times on things we are doing, and 

 we can informally discuss where it is legally permissible to do so, 

 concepts that we are thinking about in terms of regulations ; but to 

 formalize the regulations actually coming to the Congres for ap- 

 proval, I want to think about that. 

 Perhaps my counsel has a comment. 



Mr. Brewer. I am familiar with the measure, Mr. de la Garza, but 

 there are some constitutional questions if that meant a veto power in 

 a committee of Congress and in a single house. I am sure you are 

 familiar with questions which have arisen in other legislation on this 

 point. 



I would be glad to look at the bill and give you some further com- 

 ment if you would like me to do so. 



Mr. de la Garza. I would just like to get your opinion as to giving 

 the Congress an opportunity for input before, and not after, the fact, 

 without not necessarily wanting to have a veto or infringing on the 

 congressional or constiutional prerogatives. 



Dr. White. It seems to me where we have a hearing and the reg- 

 ulation is made based on what is in the record, there is an opportunity 

 for any individual to make their views and comments known in the 

 course of those procedures. 



Mr. de la Garza. That is too late. I might as well, if we have time, 

 Mr. Chairman, say this. John Q. Public, in my congressional dis- 

 trict — they do not know about the Federal Register; 90 percent of 

 them do not know what the Federal Register is. The 1 percent who 

 know don't get it. So input from the people sounds good when you 

 say, 30 days, 60 days, hearings in Utah, hearings in California, 

 hearings here and there. But only those professional people closely 



