SCIENCE, RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, 1970-79 



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nature, somehow allied with those environmentalists who wanted to 

 return to Thoreau's Walden Pond "Early warning" remained in the 

 House bill, and the timing of its demise can be related to a draft which 

 had been submitted by Congressman Jack Brooks which changed the 

 phrase to "early indications." Yeager, who was in on the drafting 

 process, was eager to retain as much as palatable in the Brooks draft. 

 He was also aware of the apprehensions of those in industry who per- 

 haps felt that "early warning" might convey to the public that Con- 

 gress felt that all technology, like the 1CBM, was destructive. So the 

 "early warning" phrase was given a quiet burial. Instead, the OTA 

 was charged with providing "early indications" of technological 

 impacts. That sounded a little more positive. 



The creation of the new Office was the first independent service 

 organization for Congress since the establishment of the General 

 Accounting Office in 1921, and only the third in history — the first 

 being the Library of Congress established in 1800. 



Early officials of the Office of Technology Assessment: From left, Former Representative 

 Emilio Q. Daddario (Democrat of Connecticut, Director); Representative Charles A. Mosher 

 (Republican of Ohio, Vice Chairman); and Senator Edward M. Kennedy (Democrat of Massa- 

 chusetts, Chairman). 



