EPILOGIF: FfgiA AND THF. Fl Tl Rl 1Q07 



expressed his strong support for President Carter's plan to accelerate 

 the development of solar energy and other renewable energy sources. 

 At the start of 1979, when the House leadership was anxious to 

 schedule legislation for floor consideration during the early months 

 when most committees had not yet gotten underway — the Science 

 Committee in March brought five bills to the floor: the NASA, EPA, 

 NSF, and FAA authorizations and a $185 million supplemental au- 

 thorization for the Space Shuttle. Unlike Presidents, new committee 

 chairmen are not customarily accorded a "honeymoon" during which 

 the opposition stays muted. But Fuqua put his Science Committee 

 legislation through the House with very little trouble, only a couple 

 of months after he had become the chairman of the committee. 



SPEEDY ACTION ON SCIENCE COMMITTEE BILLS 



It took only a few minutes for the $75 million FAA R. & D. 

 authorization to go through under suspension of the rules by voice 

 vote on March 26. On March 27, the House passed by voice vote the 

 $381.3 million EPA authorization. The billion dollar NSF authori- 

 zation passed the same day by a voice vote, after sustaining a $14 

 million cut on the House floor. 



Fuqua was concerned about both the $4.76 billion NASA au- 

 thorization, and the $185 million supplemental funding for the Space 

 Shuttle. Yet both passed on March 28 by votes of 323 to 57 and 354 

 to 39. 



On jurisdictional issues, Fuqua differed markedly from the phi- 

 losophy and mode of operation of any of the three preceding chairmen. 

 On relations with other committees, Brooks and Teague were inclined 

 to fight and maneuver to expand the committee's jurisdiction, while 

 Miller retreated somewhat passively. Fuqua's approach has resulted 

 in much fewer high decibel confrontations than in past years. In 

 describing his relationship with the Armed Services, Interstate and 

 Foreign Commerce, and Interior and Insular Affairs Committees, 

 Fuqua reflected: 



We have no problem with Armed Services Committee. Dingell and I sat down 

 first, and then we sat down with Udall and agreed that we were going to work to- 

 gether. We got the staff together and repeated that "we're going to work together." 

 And I think it has been very, very good. Last year it was just everybody at each other's 

 throats — trying to assume original jurisdiction. 



When the House debate opened on the Department of Energy 

 authorization act on July 26, 1979, Fuqua was able to report to t he- 

 House: 



The work has been broader than our committee because the Department of 

 Energy has other functions to perform which are handled by the Committee on 

 Interstate and Foreign Commerce and the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. 



