III 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 147 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 6, 2007 

Received and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Recognizing 200 years of research, service to the people 

of the United States, and stewardship of the marine 

environment by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 

Administration and its predecessor agencies, and for 

other purposes. 

Whereas the Act of February 10, 1807 (chapter VIII; 2 Stat. 

413), signed by President Thomas Jefferson, authorized 

and requested the President ‘‘to cause a survey to be 

taken of the coast of the United States . . . together with 

such other matters as he may deem proper for completing an accurate chart of every part of the coasts’’; 


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Whereas the Coast Survey was established to carry out the 

duties established under such Act, and was the first Federal science agency of the United States; 

Whereas over time additional duties were granted to such 

agency, including geodetic surveying and tide and current 

monitoring and predictions, and such agency was later 

renamed the Coast and Geodetic Survey; 

Whereas in addition to providing charts and information vital 

to our young Nation’s economic and commercial success, 

such pioneering agency led some of the Nation’s earliest 

oceanographic research, undertaking surveys of the Gulf 

Stream to determine temperatures, depths, direction, and 

velocity, as well as the character of the seafloor and 

forms of vegetation and marine life; 

Whereas the early technicians and scientists of such agency 

invented and supported the development of many innovative tools that led to advances in hydrographic, shoreline, 

and geodetic surveying and cartographic methods, the 

first real-time water level stations, and deep-sea anchoring; 

Whereas during the 20th century such agency, by then renamed the Coast and Geodetic Survey, advanced the development and marine applications of electronics and 

acoustics, including the development of Radar Acoustic 

Ranging, radio sono-buoys, and the Roberts Radio Current Meter Buoy; 

Whereas throughout their history these programs have provided services in support of the Nation’s commerce and 

defense, serving in all theaters of the Civil War and in 

World Wars I and II as hydrographers, cartographers, 

topographers, and scouts, including the production of 


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more than 100 million maps and charts for United States 

and Allied forces; 

Whereas as our Nation’s interests and economy became increasingly interwoven with the marine and atmospheric 

environment, a number of Federal science agencies with 

complimentary functions, including the Weather Bureau 

and the Bureau of Commercial Fisheries, were combined 

with the Coast Survey to create the National Oceanic and 

Atmospheric Administration (NOAA); 

Whereas today these mapping and charting, geodesy, and tide 

and current data programs are located in the National 

Ocean Service of NOAA in the Coast Survey, the National Geodetic Survey, and the Center for Operational 

Oceanographic Products and Services; 

Whereas these programs promote NOAA’s commerce and 

transportation goals and continue to support the research, development, and application of state-of-the-art 

surveying, mapping, charting, ocean observing, modeling, 

and Internet-based product delivery services to promote 

safe and efficient commerce and transportation and contributing to the advancement of integrated ocean and 

earth observing systems; 

Whereas these programs continue to demonstrate relevance, 

value, importance, and service promoting and employing 

innovative partnerships with other agencies, State and 

local authorities, academia, and the private sector; 

Whereas these programs work internationally as the United 

States representative to the International Hydrographic 

Organization and through other organizations to promote 

integrated and uniform standards, protocols, formats, 

and services; 


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Whereas in addition to commerce and transportation these 

programs also advance NOAA’s weather and water, climate, and ecosystem missions including marine resource 

conservation, coastal management, and the protection of 

life and property from coastal storms and other hazards, 

as most recently demonstrated in responding to and facilitating the recovery of communities and commerce in 

the hurricane stricken Gulf Coast; and 

Whereas the devotion, industry, efficiency, and enterprise of 

these people and programs over their 200-year history 

have set an enviable record of public service: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That the Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes that for over 200 years, the Na4 tional Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and 

5 its predecessor agencies have been providing to the 

6 Nation research to improve human understanding of 

7 the oceans and atmosphere, service, and stewardship 

8 of the marine environment, through products and 

9 services that protect lives and property, strengthen 

10 the economy, and support and sustain our coastal 

11 and marine resources; 

12 (2) recognizes the vision of President Thomas 

13 Jefferson in supporting the advancement of science, 

14 and the survey of the coast in particular, to the wel15 fare and commercial success of the Nation; 


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1 (3) recognizes the contributions made over the 

2 last 200 years by the past and current employees 

3 and officers of the Coast Survey, the National Geo4 detic Survey, and the Center for Operational Ocean5 ographic Products and Services of the National Oce6 anic and Atmospheric Administration; and 

7 (4) encourages the people of the United States 

8 to salute and share in the planned celebrations of 

9 these historic programs during 2007 with cere10 monies designed to give appropriate recognition to 

11 one of our oldest and most respected Federal agen12 cies on the occasion of its bicentennial anniversary. 

Passed the House of Representatives December 5, 

2007. 

Attest: LORRAINE C. MILLER, 

Clerk. 


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