the Act approved September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans." H.R. 6791 would further amend this Act by extending by 29 months, until December 1, 1970, the completion of the Atlantic-Pacific Interoceanic Canal Study Commission's investigation and study of the feasibility of, and the most suitable site for, construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the best means of construction. This bill would also increase the Canal Study Commission's current appropriation limitation from $17.5 million to $24.0 million. The Atomic Energy Commission favors the enactment of H.R. 6791. The AEC is participating with the Canal Study Commission in the investigation and study authorized by the Act. We believe that the amendments, which are provided in this bill, would more effectively accomplish the objectives of this Act. The Bureau of the Budget has advised that there is no objection to the presentation of this report from the standpoint of the Administration's program. Sincerely yours, R. E. HOLLINGSWORTH, General Manager. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, BUREAU OF THE BUDGET, Washington, D.C., May 9, 1967. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your request for the views and recommendations of the Bureau of the Budget on H.R. 6791, a bill "To amend Sections 3 and 4 of Public Law 88-609 of September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sealevel canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. This amendment would extend completion of the Commission's study to December 1, 1970, and increase the appropriation limitation of the Commission to $24 million, which would enable the Commission to more effectively accomplish the objectives of P.L. 88-609. It is noted that this bill is the introduced version of one submitted by the Commission and that for the reasons set out in the explanatory material accompanying the transmission, the Bureau of the Budget recommends enactment of H.R. 6791. Sincerely yours, WILFRED H. ROMMEL, Assistant Director for Legislative Reference. GENERAL COUNSEL OF THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatires, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in further reply to your request for the views of this Department concerning H.R. 6791, a bill "To amend sections 3 and 4 of the Act approved September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans." The bill would amend Public Law 88-609, by striking out "June 30, 1968” in section 3 and inserting in lieu thereof "December 1, 1970" and by striking out "$17.500.000" in section 4 and inserting in lieu thereof "$24.000.000", thereby extending the time the Atlantic-Pacific Interoceanic Canal Study Commission has to continue its investigation by 22 years and increasing the funds available to it by $6.5 million. The Department of Commerce favors the enactment of H.R. 6791. We have been advised by the Bureau of the Budget that there would be no objection to the submission of our report to the Congress from the standpoint of the Administration's program. Sincerely, Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, ROBERT E. GILES, General Counsel. DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine, and Fisheries, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Reference is made to your request to the Secretary of Defense for the views of the Department of Defense on H.R. 6791, 90th Congress, a bill "To amend sections 3 and 4 of the Act approved September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans." The Department of the Army has been assigned responsibility for expressing the views of the Department of Defense on this bill. The Act which would be amended by H.R. 6791 established the Atlantic-Pacific Interoceanic Canal Study Commission, to make a full and complete investigation and study, including necessary on site surveys, for the purpose of determining the feasibility of, and the most suitable site for, construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the best means to effect its construction. H.R. 6791 would amend the Act so as to extend the completion date of the study from June 30, 1968 to December 1, 1970, and to increase the appropriation ceiling from $17,500,000 to $24,000,000. When the Act establishing the Commission was enacted, the expectation was that site surveys in Panama and Colombia would begin not later than January 1965. The Commission members were not appointed, however, until April 18, 1965, when the favorable dry season occurring in Fiscal Year 1965 had already passed. Further delay resulted when the necessary agreements with Panama and Colombia could not be negotiated and concluded in time to enable the Commission to make full use of the 1966 dry season. As a result of these unexpected delays, two seasons of data collecting were lost. Recently, another item of delay has been encountered, the reduced activity in the Atomic Energy Commission's Plowshare program. The Canal Study is in part dependent on this program, as one of its assigned tasks is to investigate the best means to effect the construction of the canal. The need to increase the Commission's appropriation ceiling results from a variety of causes. Increased costs have stemmed from the delays in the survey negotiations and the Plowshare program. In addition, cost estimates have had to be revised as a result of actual field experience. Unprogrammed Federal pay increases and the Vietnam situation also have contributed to the need to increase the appropriation ceiling. The amendatory legislation is necessary to provide the Study Commission with sufficient time and funds to complete the study in an orderly and efficient manner. Accordingly, the Department of the Army on behalf of the Department of Defense favors enactment of H.R. 6791. This report has been coordinated within the Department of Defense in accordance with procedures prescribed by the Secretary of Defense. The Bureau of the Budget advises that, from the standpoint of the Administration's program, there is no objection to the presentation of this report for the consideration of the Committee. Sincerely, STANLEY R. RESOR, COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF THE UNITED STATES, Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: Your letter of March 21, 1967, requests our comments on H.R. 6791, a bill to amend sections 3 and 4 of the Act approved September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The bill would extend from June 30, 1968, to December 1, 1970, the time for the Atlantic-Pacific Interoceanic Canal Study Commission to complete its investigation and study to determine the feasibility of and the most suitable site for the construction of a new sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The bill would also increase the appropriation authorization to conduct such studies from $17.5 million to $24 million. Through fiscal year 1967, $11.4 million has been appropriated for the Commission and if the additional $7.5 million requested for the Commission for fiscal year 1968 is to be appropriated additional authorizing legislation is necessary. However, we have no special information or knowledge concerning the proposed legislation and, therefore, we have no recommendation to offer regarding enactment of H.R. 6791. Sincerely yours, FRANK H. WEITZEL, Assistant Comptroller General of the United States. Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This is in reply to your request for the views of this agency concerning H.R. 6791, 90th Congress, a bill, "To amend sections 3 and 4 of the Act approved September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans." In light of its responsibilities, it is the policy of the Office of Emergency Planning to support activities which will strengthen any essential portion of the transportation complex of the United States. Inasmuch as the Panama Canal is a vital facility which presently lacks the ability to handle many of the supertankers and large merchant ships now being constructed, and is unable to accommodate the Navy's modern large aircraft carriers, we favor the study which would determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal. The Office of Emergency Planning recommends the enactment of H.R. 6791 to permit the study Commission to accomplish its task. From the standpoint of the Administration's program, the Bureau of the Budget advises that it has no objection to the submission of this report. Sincerely, FARRIS BRYANT, Director. PANAMA CANAL COMPANY, Balboa Heights, Canal Zone, April 26, 1967. Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives, Washington, D.C. DEAR MR. GARMATZ: This is in response to your request for the views of the Panama Canal Company on H.R. 6791, a bill "To amend sections 3 and 4 of the Act approved September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990), providing for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea-level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans". This bill would amend section 3 of the Act to extend the life of the Commission until December 1, 1970 and would amend section 4 to increase the limit on amounts which may be appropriated under the Act from $17,500,000 to $24,000,000. AT Although the Panama Canal Company has no direct interest in the subject matter of this legislation, the Company endorsed the purposes of the basic legislation (Public Law 89-609) and favors any amendment thereto that facilitates achievement of the objectives for which the Commission was established. The Bureau of the Budget advises that it has no objection to submission of this report to your committee. Sincerely yours, Hon. EDWARD A. GARMATZ, H. R. PARFITT, DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, D.C., April 27, 1967. Chairman, Committee on Merchant Marine and Fisheries, House of Representatives. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: The Secretary has asked me to reply to your letter of March 21, 1967 requesting the views and recommendations of the Department of State on H.R. 6791, a bill to amend. Sections 3 and 4 of Public Law 88-609 of September 22, 1964 (78 Stat. 990) which provided for an investigation and study to determine a site for the construction of a sea level canal connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The amendment would extend the period of the study to December 1, 1970 and would increase the Commission's appropriation ceiling to $24.0 million, The extension of time for the study and the increased appropriation ceiling will permit the Commission to discharge its responsibilities under Public Law 88-609, and the Department of State supports the enactment of H.R. 6791. The Bureau of the Budget advises that from the standpoint of the Administration's program there is no objection to the submission of this report. Sincerely yours, WILLIAM B. MACOMBER, Jr., Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations. Mrs. SULLIVAN. Two weeks ago, some members of this subcommittee had the opportunity to fly over the routes and inspect the base camps and weather stations set up for the studies landing at four of these sites, and I, for one, can assure the subcommittee that the work is presently in progress. We have before us as witnesses today the Chairman of the AtlanticPacific Interoceanic Canal Study Commission and some of the members of the Commission, together with representatives of the Office of the Chief of Engineers. They will discuss the bill and furnish a report on progress to date. Our first witness will be Hon. Robert B. Anderson, who in addition to his title as Chairman of the Commission is also the chief negotiator of the pending treaty between the Republic of Panama and the United States. It is nice to have you here, Mr. Anderson. Mr. Anderson, if you have a statement that you would like to make you may do so or would you like to have us start with questions? STATEMENTS OF HON. ROBERT B. ANDERSON, CHAIRMAN; ROBERT G. STOREY, VICE CHAIRMAN; BRIG. GEN. KENNETH E. FIELDS, COMMISSIONER; JOHN P. SHEFFEY, EXECUTIVE SECRETARY; BRIG. GEN. HARRY G. WOODBURY, JR., U.S. ARMY, ENGINEERING AGENT, ATLANTIC-PACIFIC INTEROCEANIC CANAL STUDY COMMISSION; COL. JOHN A. HUGHES, CE, DEPUTY ENGINEERING AGENT; AND JOHN S. KELLY, DIRECTOR, DIVISION OF PEACEFUL NUCLEAR EXPLOSIVES, U.S. ATOMIC ENERGY COMMISSION Ambassador ANDERSON. Madam Chairman, I have a statement which I would either be glad to read or submit to the questions first, whichever you prefer. Mrs. SULLIVAN. May I ask you if we could make this statement of yours a part of the hearing record? Ambassador ANDERSON. Surely. (The statement follows:) OPENING REMARKS OF THE HONORABLE ROBERT B. ANDERSON, CHAIRMAN OF THE ATLANTIC-PACIFIC INTEROCEANIC CANAL STUDY COMMISSION INTRODUCTION Chairman ANDERSON. Mr. Chairman and members of the Committee. It is a pleasure to appear before you as Chairman of the Atlantic-Pacific Interoceanic Canal Study Commission. I have been looking forward to discussing with you the status of the Commission's investigation and to support the Commission's proposal for a legislative amendment to Public Law 88-609. Accompanying me today are two other members of the Canal Study Commission: Vice-Chairman Robert G. Storey, President, Southwestern Legal Foundation; and Brigadier General Kenneth E. Fields, USA, Retired, former General Manager of the Atomic Energy Commission. Also present are Brigadier General Harry G. Woodbury, Jr., The Commission's Engineering Agent; Mr. John S. Kelly, Director of the Peaceful Nuclear Explosives Division of the Atomic Energy Commission; and Mr. John Sheffey, the Executive Secretary of the Commission. I propose to outline the status of the Commission's investigation and discuss site-survey agreements. I shall call upon Mr. Sheffey to brief you on the status of the Commission's directed studies, other than Engineering Feasibility. I shall ask General Woodbury to brief you on the status of the Study of Engineering Feasibility and upon Mr. Kelly to apprise you of the status of nuclear excavation technology and current plans for future experiments. I shall then review the Canal Commission's legislative and fiscal needs following which I shall be pleased to discuss a related subject, but one for which the Commission has no responsibility The Status of Treaty Negotiations with Panama. At the conclusion of my statement I shall be pleased to answer any questions that you might have. COMMISSION ACTIVITIES Following the Commission's appointment in 1965, it developed an organization and made plans for the accomplishment of its studies. Our organization for conduct of these studies is shown in Chart A. All study elements are now in progress. During the past year the Commission met quarterly. In addition, individual members have had numerous meetings with representatives of agencies and organizations supporting the Commission, have made visits to activities of special interest and have conducted Commission business from their home offices. The activities of the Commission during fiscal year 1966 were recounted in our Second Annual Report, dated 31 July 1966, which the President transmitted to the Congress. |