90 



The act also established the Joint Committee on Atomic 

 Energy, the only joint congressional committee with substantive 

 oversight powers. (Public Law 585; 60 Stat. 755) 



August 1, 1946: Vocational Education Act of 1946 was a revision of 

 the earlier act of June 8, 1936. Authorized annual appropriations 

 of Federal aid funds to the States for training in agriculture, 

 home economics, trades and industry and distributive occupa- 

 tions. Also appropriated an annual sum to the Office of Educa- 

 tion for studies and investigations in the field. (Public Law 586; 

 60 Stat. 775) 



August 1, 1946: An act to establish an Office of Naval Research in 

 the Department of the Navy; to plan, foster, and encourage scien- 

 tific research in recognition of its paramount importance as re- 

 lated to the maintenance of future naval power, and the preser- 

 vation of national security; to provide within the Department of 

 the Navy a single office, which, by contract and otherwise, shall 

 be able to obtain, coordinate, and make available to all bureaus 

 and activities of the Department of the Navy, world-wide scientif- 

 ic information and the necessary services for conducting special- 

 ized and imaginative research, to establish a Naval Research Ad- 

 visory Committee consisting of persons preeminent in the fields 

 of science and research, to consult with and advise the Chief of 

 such Office in matters pertaining to research. (Public Law 588; 



60 Stat. 779) 



August 2, 1946: legislative Reorganization Act of 1946 redefined 

 the standing committees of the Senate and House of Representa- 

 tives, and enumerated the jurisdictions of each committee. The 

 act also established an enlarged and continuing separate depart- 

 ment of the Library of Congress, the Legislative Reference Serv- 

 ice. 



August 12, 1946: National Air Museum was established under the 

 Smithsonian Insitution by act of Congress. (Public Law 722; 60 

 Stat. 997) 



October 17, 1946: By E.O. 9791, President Truman established a 

 Presidential Scientific Research Board under Dr. John R. Steel- 

 man, Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion, in the Ex- 

 ecutive Office of the President, to investigate and report on the 

 entire scientific program of the Federal Government with recom- 

 mendations for providing coordination and improving efficency of 

 Federal research and development. 



April 16, 1947: Army-Navy Nurses Act. Established a permanent 

 Nurse Corps, in th Army and Navy and a Women's Medical Spe- 

 cialist Corps in the Army Medical Department. (Public Law 36; 



61 Stat. 41) 



July 7, 1947: A Commission on Organization of the Executive 

 Branch of the Government (First Hoover Commission) was estab- 

 lished. One of the areas which it examined and reported on was 

 Federal research. (Public Law 162; 61 Stat. 246) 



July 27, 1947: S. 526, to establish a National Science Foundation, 

 received final approval by Congress on this date. It was vetoed by 

 President Truman on August 6, 1947, principally because of dis- 

 agreement over the administrative structure of the proposed 

 Foundation. Congressional action on this bill culminated two 



