On This Day in History: Today

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March 19th, 1964

On this day in 1964, President Johnson wrote a letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House transmitting reports on oceanographic research.

The proposed Federal budget in oceanography is $138 million. This is 11% more than Fiscal Year 1964 appropriations, which in turn equaled those for Fiscal Year 1963. This proposed growth is an absolute minimum if the country is to maintain the momentum necessary to achieve those objectives in oceanic research which have been previously enunciated by both President Kennedy and the Congress—to enhance our military defense; to develop marine mineral and fisheries resources; to control pollution; to predict more accurately storms and tides that endanger life and property; to assist state, national and international bodies in wise legislation and regulation of commerce on the sea; and to extend scientific knowledge generally.

March 19th, 1966

On this day in 1966, President Johnson wrote a letter to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the House about a water resources research report. In his letter, LBJ wrote,

The growth of our population and industry has placed new demands on our water supplies. We are confronted with water shortages in many sections of our country. Today, virtually every river system in America is touched by pollution. This menace grows more serious each day. The ten-year research program outlined in the report—which will be refined and revised as the future state of our knowledge grows—establishes a guideline for action. The report pinpoints those areas of research in need of immediate attention and specifies research goals in over 40 important categories. It has been used as a basis for preparing our Fiscal Year 1967 Budget requests. I recommend that the various committees of Congress concerned with our water ten sources carefully consider what this report has to say.

The report, entitled “A Ten-Year Program of Federal Water Resources Research” and dated February 1966 (Government Printing Office, 88 pp.), was issued by the Committee on Water Resources Research of the Federal Council for Science and Technology.