SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, 1970-79 553 



question about that. Well, the membership of ("-(ingress, and the public, is largely 

 comprised ct laymen. There are very few te< hnically expert men in Congress. In fact, 

 I don't know that I can name any. Certainly there are DOl an) who would be expert 

 in all three of these fields that you have just named. 



The function of a technology assessment board would be to see that proper atten- 

 tion was brought CO bear on these problems so that when they report it back Congress 

 might be in a position to act with intelligence. * * * 



To have an anti-ballistic missile you must figure out a way to intercept and 

 destroy it while it is on its way to a target. That involves extremely high velocities. 

 is a raging scientific controversy as to whether or not it can be done practically. 

 It is a matter that soon finds itself totally beyond the expertise of any Member of 

 Congress. This organization would be able to explore such questions as that and to 

 render some order out of the chaos. 



Mr. Wydler. That is what I do not understand. How would that happen? 



Mr. Davis. We would be consulting with .1 private group, a university, or any 

 other knowledgeable source. They would have the duty of coming up with a resume of 

 accurate information on the problem. We certainly do not have anything such as that 

 now. 



Mr. Wydler. Why would we need the advice of this board we are talking about, 

 this new group of men to sign a contract to tell us what particular scientists thought 

 about whether or not the ABM would work? I am having a hard time following what 

 they will add to what we are doing in the government already. I suppose that is my 

 question, really. I am sure this has been done over and over again. 



For instance, on practically all the matters you refer to, such as the supersonic 

 transport, we have had so many reports from so many groups of various aspects of the 

 supersonic transport— do I understand that if we set up this Board we will not have 

 anybody else doing these things? Will this Board be doing it along with the other 

 groups? What will this Board add? 



Mr. Davis. In DOD, you are constantly bumping into the question of classified 

 information for one thing. Secondly, if you consult industry — or consult any other 

 specialized segment of our society you will run into various answers. * * * It also has 

 the further virtue of being more than simpl v a legislative reference service, which is all 

 we have now in the way of our own independent investigative agency. It would be 

 able to find the area where not enough information is now known and develop the 

 information. 



The long-drawn-out debate and consideration of the Legislative 

 Reorganization Act had made it uncertain when the time would come 

 for Daddario to try his big amendment. After several false starts, the 

 opportunity finally arrived on September 16. Gross immediately 

 groused that the amendment was 20 pages long, and that "my hope 

 is that this whole thing will be beaten." Representative B. F. Sisk 

 (Democrat of California), a former member of both the select com- 

 mittee and the Science Committee, raised a point of order against the 

 amendment on the grounds that it went beyond existing congressional 

 institutions and set up an entirely new agency which involved some 

 appointments by the President. The point of order was sustained. 



