33 U.S.C. § 883d
Improvement of methods, instruments, and equipments; investigations and research
To improve the efficiency of the National Ocean Survey and to increase engineering and scientific knowledge, the Secretary of Commerce is authorized to conduct developmental work for the improvement of surveying and cartographic methods, instruments, and equipments; and to conduct investigations and research in geophysical sciences (including geodesy, oceanography, seismology, and geomagnetism).