Statement of Abel, Robert B., executive secretary, Interagency Committee on Bates, Dr. Thomas F., assistant and science adviser to the Secretary Fascell, Hon. Dante B., a Representative in Congress from the State of Clausen, Hon. Don H., a Representative in Congress from the State of Fong, Hon. Hiram L., a U.S. Senator from the State of Hawaii.. Growther, H. E., Deputy Director of the Bureau of Commercial Fish- Inouye, Hon. Daniel K., a U.S. Senator from the State of Hawaii. Matsunaga, Hon. Spark M., a Representative in Congress from the Mink, Hon. Patsy T., a Representative in Congress from the State of Morse, Robert W., Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research and Waters, Rear Adm. O. D., Jr., Oceanographer of the Navy, and Wilson, Hon. Bob, a Representative in Congress from the State of Additional material supplied by Abel, Robert B.: Oceanography at an inland university, by Keith E. Chave..-- Interior Department: Letter from Commissioner Pautzke dated June 27, 1966, enclosing Pell, Hon. Claiborne: Committee print of S. 2439 Departmental report on S. 2439 from the Budget Bureau.. Communications submitted by— Caverly, Gardner A., executive vice president, the New England Douglas, Philip A., executive secretary, Sport Fishing Institute, letter dated July 11, 1966 Pepper, Hon. Claude, letter dated June 13, 1966-- SEA GRANT COLLEGES MONDAY, JUNE 13, 1966 HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON OCEANOGRAPHY OF THE COMMITTEE ON MERCHANT MARINE AND FISHERIES, Washington, D.C. The subcommittee met at 10:30 a.m., pursuant to notice, in room 1302, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Paul G. Rogers presiding. Mr. ROGERS. The subcommittee will come to order, please. This is the Subcommittee on Oceanography of the Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries. We will hold hearings this morning to consider H.R. 15192 by myself and identical measures by the chairman of the full committee, the Honorable Edward A. Garmatz and the chairman of the subcommittee, Congressman Alton Lennon, of North Carolina, who has another conflict at this moment and could not be present this morning. These measures are identical and are based upon the analogy of the Morrill Act of 1862 establishing the land-grant colleges. In much the same manner as the earlier legislative matter concerning the importance of agriculture, these measures recognize the potential of aquaculture, and the necessity of the United States to exploit the resources of the Continental Shelf over which it attained jurisdiction in 1964. The motivation for such legislative measures is as follows: (1) The time is ripe for an aggressive move toward fuller exploitation of the resources of the sea, as exemplified by S. 944, as amended, and passed by the House and the Senate: (2) Recognition of the fact that our universities and colleges must play a key role in such a movement; and (3) Recognition that while ocean science itself is in reasonably good shape, the exploitation (for example, applied research) of our ocean resources needs a push forward. Nothing is more demonstrative of this fact than the Russian claim of some 1,500 oceanographers backed by 7,500 men and women working full time in the field, as compared with 700 oceanographers and some 2,000 technicians supporting them in the United States. We are, in fact, engaged in a race for command of the inner spaces with the same competitiveness as that attributed to outer space. The bills and reports from the departments of the executive will be inserted in the record at this point. (The bills and agency reports follow:) (H.R. 15192, H. R. 15471, H. R. 15569, 89th Cong., 2d sess.] A BILL To amend title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to authorize the establishment and operation of sea grant colleges and certain education, training, and research programs Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, is amended by adding at the end thereof the following: "SEC. 217. (a) The Congress hereby finds and declares "(1) that marine resources, including animal and vegetable life and mineral wealth, constitute a far-reaching and largely untapped asset of immense potential significance to the United States; and "(2) that it is in the national interest of the United States to develop the skilled manpower, including scientists, engineers, and technicians, and the facilities and equipment necessary for the exploitation of these resources; and "(3) that aquaculture, as with agriculture on land, and the gainful use of marine resources can substantially benefit the United States by providing greater economic opportunities, including expanded employment and trade new sources of food; new means for the utilization of water, both salt and fresh; and other valuable substances, such as those contained in the vast mineral deposits of the marine environment, advantageous to United States citizens and to the Nation's position in the world; and "(4) that, in order to implement these findings, the Federal Government should support sea grant colleges and programs by "(A) initiating and supporting programs at sea grant colleges for the education and training of participants in the marine sciences; "(B) initiating and supporting necessary research and development programs in the marine sciences resulting in the acquisition of knowl edge of a direct and practical nature, with preference given to programs that translate the findings of basic research to practices, techniques, and equipment applicable to the marine sciences; "(C) encouraging and developing programs consisting of instruction, practical demonstrations, publications, and otherwise, with the object of imparting useful information to persons currently employed or interested in the marine sciences, to the scientific community, and to the general public; "(D) encouraging the development of the marine resources by facilitat ing the use by participants under this section of such portions of the submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf as may be necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of clauses (A), (B), and (C); and "(E) encouraging and facilitating the expansion, development, or creation, of regional 'centers of excellence' in the various fields related to the marine sciences, while retaining the traditional interests of the existing regional institutions and laboratories. "(b) In order to carry out the policies established by subsection (a) of this section, the Board of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution, acting through the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, shall initiate and support programs of education, training, and research in the marine sciences and a program of advisory services relating to activities in the marine sciences. In carrying out this section the Board of Regents shall consult with scientists and engineers engaged in pursuits in the marine sciences and with agencies of the Government interested in, or affected by, activities in the marine sciences. "(c) Programs to carry out this section shall be accomplished through contracts with, or grants to, suitable public or private agencies, public or private institutions of higher learning, museums, foundations, industries, laboratories, corporations, organizations, or groups of individuals, which are engaged in, or concerned with, activities in the marine sciences, for the establishment and operation by them of such programs. "(d) In order to facilitate the carrying out of programs engaged in pursuant to contracts or grants made under the provisions of this section, the Board of Regents is authorized to enter into agreements with the Secretary of the Interior with respect to the use, jointly or exclusively, by participants in such programs of such areas of the submerged lands of the Outer Continental Shelf as may be appropriate, which will not cover any part of the Outer Continental Shelf needed for national defense or interfere with or endanger any operations under any lease maintained or granted pursuant to the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. "(e) For the purposes of this section "(2) The term 'marine sciences' means oceanographic and scientific endeavors and disciplines, engineering, and technology in and with relation to the marine environment, including, but not limited to the fields oriented toward the development, conservation, or economic utilization of the physical, chemical, geological, and biological resources of the marine environment; the fields of marine commerce and marine engineering; the fields relating to exploration or research in, the recovery of natural resources from, and the transmission of energy in, the marine environment; and the fields with respect to the study of the economic, legal, medical, or sociological problems arising out of the management, use, development, recovery, and control of the natural resources of the marine environment. "(2) The term 'marine environment' means the oceans; the Continental Shelf of the United States; the Great Lakes; the seabed and subsoil of the submarine areas adjacent to the coasts of the United States to the depth of two hundred meters, or beyond that limit, to where the depths of the superjacent waters admit of the exploitation of the natural resources of the area; the seabed and subsoil of similar submarine areas adjacent to the coasts of islands which comprise United States territory; and the natural resources thereof. "(3) The term 'sea grant college' means any suitable public or private institution of higher learning supported pursuant to the purposes of this section." DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY, Washington, D.C., June 10, 1966. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, DEAR MR. GARMATZ: Your Committee has requested the views and recommendations of this Department on H.R. 15192 and other identical bills "To amend title II of the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, to authorize the establishment and operation of sea grant colleges and certain education, training, and research programs." This bill amends the Merchant Marine Act, 1936, by authorizing the Board of Regents of Smithsonian Institution to initiate and carry out programs of education, training, and research in the marine sciences. The Board is authorized to enter into agreements with the Secretary of the Interior for joint or exclusive use of appropriate areas of the Outer Continental Shelf by program participants. The Board is authorized to carry out the program through grants or contracts with public or private agencies, museums, industries, laboratories, corporations, etc. The general purpose of the sea grant college program is to improve the Nation's capability to obtain and use the natural resources of the oceans. The purpose of this bill is to implement a suggestion made several years ago by Dean A. F. Spilhaus of the University of Minnesota, who at the time was Chairman of the Committee on Oceanography of the National Academy of SciencesNational Research Council. The proposal was discussed at a conference held at Newport, Rhode Island, on October 28 and 29, 1965, at which over 200 individuals concerned with the subject matter of the bill were present. It was generally agreed at the meeting that the objectives of the bill were desirable and that legislation, such as H.R. 15192, would have a beneficial effect on the development of marine science and ocean engineering in this country. This Department also firmly believes that more and more emphasis must be placed by the Federal Government, the States, educational institutions, industry, and other public and private organizations and individuals on improving the Nation's capability to obtain and use wisely our marine resources. H.R. 15192 is designed to supply this emphasis on the national level. Legislation along the lines of this bill is needed to supply the focus that is needed in the field of marine science. The concept of developing skilled personnel, such as engineers and technicians, to expolit our marine resources is sound. The Department of the Interior must continue to play a major role in programs aimed at exploiting marine resources because of our present expertise in basic marine research and in the management and development of these resources. The Department has broad authority to conduct research directly in marine resources and for supporting such authorities in marine science institutions. |