[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 134 (Tuesday, October 9, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10380-S10381]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   THE U.S. ROLE IN OCEAN EXPLORATION

  Mr. AKAKA. Madam President, as we contend with the threats of global 
terrorism and our national sorrow in the aftermath of September 11th, 
we must focus on the accomplishments, ideals, and spirit that make 
America great and look to the future with a renewed sense of resolve 
and hope. As we engaged in exploring the American continent in the 19th 
century, and the far reaches of space in the 20th century, we must 
welcome, in this new century, the challenge of exploring our oceans, 
the last uncharted frontier. Oceans make up 70 percent of the earth's 
surface, yet we have characterized less than ten percent of the United 
States' Exclusive Economic Zone. Within our EEZ, the United States has 
jurisdiction over more submerged lands than terrestrial lands. Newly 
charted research voyages and state-of-the-art underwater technology 
give us the tools we need to make new discoveries to aid us in better 
understanding this underwater world.
  My focus on ocean exploration is timely because the National Oceanic 
and Atmospheric Administration celebrated the culmination of two 
voyages of discovery in Charleston, South Carolina, on October 1, 2001. 
The ``Deep East Expedition'' and ``Islands in the Stream'' projects 
represent two important steps in revitalizing our exploration of the 
oceans. Through these journeys, NOAA scientists and their partners are 
uncovering the ocean's secrets.
  The ``Deep East Expedition'' sailed from Maine to Georgia to 
investigate the diversity of deep-sea coral beds and gas hydrate 
communities that may contain new energy resources. On a simultaneous 
timetable, ``Islands in the Stream'' followed the Gulf Stream both from 
Belize to North Carolina. Scientists investigated ocean currents in the 
Gulf of Mexico, dove in submersibles examining coral reef and hard-
bottom communities, and conducted acoustic surveys to characterize the 
ocean floor. NOAA partnered on these two projects with Woods Hole and 
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institutes, the National Geographic 
Society, numerous universities and other federal agencies, such as NASA 
and the U.S. Geological Survey.
  This summer, NOAA's flagship research vessel, the Ronald H. Brown, 
returned from an unparalleled journey of discovery in the undersea 
Astoria Canyon, beyond the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. This 
voyage was titled the ``Lewis and Clark Legacy Expedition'' and was 
intended to be an extension of that historic journey which ended at the 
mouth of the Columbia River almost two hundred years ago. The 
scientists discovered two new species of invertebrates and viewed deep-
water communities never before seen, at depths of over one half mile. 
Using advanced sonar technology, scientists created three-dimensional 
views of the canyon's sea floor texture and discovered an ancient 
shoreline from the last ice age, over 17,000 years ago. These 
discoveries will help answer questions about how glaciers, earthquakes, 
and plate movement affect the earth's geological history and its 
future.
  Just as Thomas Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark in 1803 to 
gather scientific facts of the uncharted Western lands, so too must we 
be visionary in commissioning our best scientists to map and discover 
unknown reaches of the oceans. We must duplicate Jefferson's ``Corps of 
Discovery'' for our ocean depths. This undiscovered domain is believed 
to contain many times the biomass of all the rainforests and 
terrestrial life forms combined.
  Today's pioneers in ocean exploration have already embarked upon this 
journey. Just as explorers of the past mapped the mountain ranges and 
the riverways of our nation, these modern explorers have begun mapping 
the ranges and riverways beneath the surface of the ocean. Two weeks 
ago Congress heard many of these explorers, researchers and managers 
speak about the important role of the oceans in global climate change, 
weather patterns and carbon cycling, as we celebrated the first annual 
Congressional Oceans Day. Presenters highlighted the successes of ocean 
exploration and the challenges that lie ahead.

[[Page S10381]]

  Recent developments in sonar and submersible vehicles promise to 
accelerate discoveries in ocean depths. Multibeam sonar, emitting a 
wide swath, gives the exact contour of the ocean bottom, rather than 
extrapolating from a single beam directed below a vessel. Advanced 
sonar can detect temperature fluctuations to fractions of a degree. The 
upper few hundred feet of the oceans hold 1000 times more heat than the 
atmosphere, but scientists do not yet know how this may affect changes 
in global climate. The private sector is improving the capabilities of 
remotely operated vehicles and autonomous underwater vehicles. These 
vehicles, armed with the newest in sonar equipment, will gain better 
knowledge of bathymetry, resources and navigation.

  Two years ago, President Clinton convened an internationally renowned 
panel of oceanographers and charged them to develop a United States 
strategy for ocean exploration. In October of 2000, the Ocean 
Exploration Panel presented its recommendations. The panel challenged 
the federal government to embrace the discovery of the unknown, to 
dedicate a vessel for ocean exploration, and to establish an Ocean 
Exploration Program.
  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provided 
leadership on this directive by establishing the Office of Ocean 
Exploration. The Bush Administration proposed $14 million for NOAA to 
accomplish this significant endeavor for Fiscal Year 2002. The Senate 
Appropriations bill for the Departments of Commerce, Justice and State 
provided for this amount, and it is my hope that it will be retained in 
conference.
  The panel further recommended designating a lead federal agency for 
ocean exploration. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
in the U.S. Department of Commerce has the authority, the mission, the 
track record, the desire, and the capabilities to provide a leadership 
role. For these reasons, NOAA should be recognized as the federal 
leader for ocean exploration.
  In the Senate of Hawaii, our cultural history is entwined in the 
history of the ocean. From fishermen to tourists, researchers to 
snorkelers, we integrate the oceans into our daily lives. Marine life 
embodies those very elements which define Hawaii. The Hawaiian Islands 
Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary, the Northwest Hawaiian 
Islands Coral Reef Ecosystem Reserve, and many other federal and state 
marine protected areas illustrate the importance we as a community 
place on our marine resources. The commitment to nurture, protect, and 
educate people about the ocean represents the essence of malama kai, 
care for the sea, which is so important to the Hawaiian culture. Given 
the importance of the sea to our sustenance and livelihoods, it is 
essential that we learn about and share the responsibility to protect 
our ocean and coastal resources.
  The steep terrain of Hawaii's coastal underwater lands and its 
location in the Pacific Ocean make Hawaii a prime candidate from which 
to launch deep-sea exploration. The Hawaii Undersea Research Laboratory 
(HURL), established by NOAA under the National Undersea Research 
Program and the University of Hawaii, works through private, state and 
federal grants to study the processes of the deep ocean. HURL's Ocean 
Bottom Observatory has been studying the volcanic activity of the 
undersea volcano, Loihi, and its effects on the global carbon cycle and 
tsunamis. Studying this dramatic phenomenon is critical to 
understanding the creation of Pacific Islands and submerged land masses 
that provide essential habitat for marine life.
  I applaud the efforts of those who continue down the unmarked path 
toward ocean exploration, constructing the framework for future 
discoveries. At this time of national resolve and sorrow, I call 
attention to the global challenges that we face to understand the inner 
space of our earth--the oceans. A true ocean odyssey under the 
leadership of NOAA should be developed in cooperation with the Navy, 
National Science Foundation, NASA, the USGS, universities and private 
not-for-profit organizations. Our oceans are crucial to our existence 
and national security; we must understand them.

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