580 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



In 1971, Chairman Davis approved an initial inquiry into the 

 problem of adequate research and development in the materials area. 

 As was so frequently done, the subcommittee asked the Science Policy 

 Research Division of the Congressional Research Service to research the 

 subject. To some extent, the inquiry was related to studies by the 

 newly formed task force on energy under the Science Subcommittee's 

 wing. Hence, part of the CRS study dealt with materials research in the 

 solar energy field. But the Science Subcommittee was interested in 

 broadening the inquiry, which was done in a December 1972 CRS 

 report entitled "Industrial Materials — Technological Problems and 

 Issues of Congress." The study emphasized how our national materials 

 posture related to American economic strength, national security, 

 environmental quality, international balance of payments, the energy 

 crisis, and the general standard of living in the United States. Under 

 the direction of the CRS, the National Academy of Sciences produced 

 what Chairman Thornton later referred to as a "somewhat more 

 focused" study entitled "Problems and Legislative Opportunities in 

 the Basic Materials Industries." The latter turned the searchlight on 

 materials issues surrounding four basic industrial materials — steel, 

 plastics, forest products, and glass. 



MATERIALS POLICY HANDBOOK 



While Symington chaired the subcommittee, he asked the Science 

 Policy Research Division to prepare yet another extremely valuable 

 adjunct to the subcommittee's work in this area: a "Materials Policy 

 Handbook" — a 205-page "gold mine" of background information. 

 This handbook, published in June 1977, really covers all you ever 

 wanted to know about materials policy but were afraid to ask. Chair- 

 man Thornton aptly observed that the handbook was designed to meet 

 the needs of those grappling with the subject for the first time, who 

 need elementary presentations, as well as those who had had a long 

 familiarity with materials issues and prefer a more sophisticated 

 approach. 



Symington and Mosher on June 17, 1976, introduced the National 

 Materials Policy, Research and Organization Act. Symington told the 

 House as he introduced his bill: 



It is noteworthy that every commission, committee, group, study or other 

 effort which has surveyed the materials issue since 1950 has indicated the need for 

 restraints, planning and forethought on the use of materials. Yet no Federal admin- 

 istration has ever seriously considered a genuine policv to put restraints into effect. 

 It is easy to sec why. Policies which encourage restraints immediately come into 

 conflict with the private enterprise concept and with the production of things people 

 like and have become accustomed to having. Such policies, therefore, are not likely 

 to be popular and, politically speaking, are just plain bad medicine. 



