Introduction 



By Charles A. Mosher ' 



It is an easy error to assume that all congressional committees are 

 alike. They differ significantly. Each takes insistent pride in its own 

 uniquity. And in several ways the Committee on Science and Technol- 

 ogy is the most interestingly different of all. 



At age 20, this is very junior among the standing committees of 

 the U.S. House of Representatives. It was born of an extraordinary 

 House-Senate joint leadership initiative ; a determination to maintain 

 American preeminence in science and technology, reacting to the 

 U.S.S.R.'s Sputnik. And throughout its difficult, formative years to 

 its now increasingly complex, still evolving adulthood, this commit- 

 tee has exerted a forceful policy influence and oversight responsibility, 

 a galvanizing role in an unprecedented era of scientific and engineering 

 accomplishment. 



Our modern age of tremendously increased Government support 

 for research originated in World War II, rapidly accelerated and 

 expanded in the early years of this committee's influence, the 1960's, 

 and now is in a transitional stage to new directions and dimensions as 

 yet not clearly identified . 



Recognizing the historic significance of this great burst of crea- 

 tivity, and also recognizing the Science and Technology Committee's 

 central innovative part in helping guide and shape much of that suc- 

 cessful effort, it is appropriate and important that the committee's first 

 20 years now be recounted fully and accurately. Four distinctly differ- 

 ent chairmen, each very creative in his own way, have directed the 

 committee's activities. And it is particularly appropriate that this 

 history was conceived by Chairman Olin E. Teague, whose decisive 

 leadership in a changing period of increasingly larger, varied, more 

 complex committee jurisdiction, included recently added respon- 

 sibilities for research, development, and demonstration (R.D. & D.) 

 in all the crucially important aspects of energy resources. 



Early in 1977, anticipating the decision to publish a history of 

 these 20 years and after conferring informally with other members and 

 staff, Chairman Teague appointed Mrs. Bonnie Seefeldt to begin the 

 necessary research of documents, to conduct a series of interviews and 



1 Ranking Republican member, Home Committee on Science and Technology, 1971 77 and executive 

 directo of the committee. 1977-79, former Member, U.S. House of Representatives from Ohio, 1961-77- 



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