THE EARLY MILLER YEARS 



97 



patronizing but insulting terms. Brooks kept all authority right in his hands. He 

 never passed around opportunities to participate in floor debates on the authorization 

 bills. * * * Miller is a more practical, down-to-earth chairman, and we are all 

 grateful for the change. 



Another member of the committee indicated that there had been a 

 change of attitude when Miller acceded to the chairmanship: 



Since he has become chairman, he has become much more conservative, loath 

 to move. His attitude has now become don't rock the boat, keep relations with 

 NASA smooth and unruffled. * * * He was a much more vigorous questioning com- 

 mittee member when he was the ranking majority member. Perhaps becoming 

 chairman makes one become more fatherly and protective. He is, without doubt, a 

 great improvement over Brooks in every sense. 



In stressing the independence and responsibility of the subcom- 

 mittees from the start, Chairman Miller built up respect and a high 

 morale among both members and staff. Republican members of the 

 committee were particularly strong in their praise of the Miller regime, 

 and the bipartisan approach to issues which arose. Some members 

 stated that Chairman Miller had a "short fuse," but they all com- 

 mended his fairness and genuine prestige that developed as the com- 

 mittee delved into new areas. 



Of medium height, gray haired, bespectacled, possessed of a good 

 sense of humor, a good storyteller and wonderful traveling companion, 

 Miller was inclined to deal arbitrarily with those who disagreed with 

 him on the committee. But he never held grudges. There were times 

 when staff members and members of the committee felt that his wide- 

 ranging anecdotes, reminiscences and philosophical observations, 

 although interesting and stimulating, were time-consuming. Yet 

 Miller earned and won the respect of his committee and colleagues, 

 and through his service raised the prestige of the committee. 



On May 2, 1962, the following exchange took place between 

 Miller and Teague, who at the time was also chairman of the Veterans' 

 Affairs Committee: 



Mr. Teague. The Speaker of the House recently called a meeting of all the 

 committee chairmen. I was the only committee chairman that had a chance to 

 comment on another chairman. I told him I had a complaint, that I had a chairman 

 that was working the hell out of me, and that was the chairman of the Space 

 Committee. 



Mr. Miller. Brother, you asked for it. You ain't seen nothing yet. 



RELATIONS WITH NASA 



Quite naturally, NASA officials all preferred the Miller chairman- 

 ship to the Brooks chairmanship, even though it meant far more work- 

 on details than Brooks had required. Under Brooks, NASA never knew 

 when they would receive a quick summons, after a space spectacular 

 by either Russia or the United States, to appear before the committee 

 in a public hearing with little time to prepare. It was Miller's habit 



