IN THE BEGINNING. THE SELECT COMMITTEE 21 



how, and wasn't about to be pushed around, attitudes suddenly 

 changed. The administration quickly joined in, acknowledged the 

 need for improvements, and helped draft amendments to try and fill 

 the gaps exposed in the hearings and discussions. 



A great amount of time in both open hearings and executive 

 sessions was spent in determining more precisely agency jurisdictions, 

 defining the fine line between military and civilian activities in 

 outer space, and clarifying the machinery for coordination. As time 

 went on, there developed a healthy give-and-take between the 

 administration and the House committee. Because Chairman McCor- 

 mack was anxious to draft a bill which would be satisfactory to both 

 the committee and President Eisenhower, regular liaison was estab- 

 lished between the committee staff and Bryce Harlow, Deputy Assistant 

 for Congressional Affairs, and Edward A. McCabe, Administrative 

 Assistant to the President. In fact, the daily liaison between the 

 White House and the House side of the Capitol proved to be superior to 

 the exchange of information between the House and the Senate. 

 Under the stress of time requirements and pride of authorship, there 

 developed a spirit of competitive one-upmanship between the House 

 and Senate, complete with "'confidential" committee prints, and some 

 dog-in-the-manger attitudes toward privileged strategy and tactics. 



When the Space Act was voted on in the House of Representatives 

 on June 2, Republican Whip Les Arends made a cogent observa- 

 tion about the investment concept of space spending: 



The original thought of the administration was that the costs of an adequate 

 program under the proposed space agency would be between $100 million and $200 

 million a year to start with. After going into the matter carefully, however, and in 

 light of the long leadtimes and exploratory activities necessary to the development 

 of astronautical techniques, the committee has concluded that costs may approach 

 $500 million a year for the first several years and perhaps $1 billion a year thereafter. 



This is a lot of money. Possibly, on further inquiry, we may find that amount 

 will not be needed. But even if it is, I suggest to you that the probable cost to the 

 Nation of not spending it will be infinitely more. Besides, as other Members have 

 already told you, the peaceful economic benefits and savings to result from the 

 program should begin to more than pay its cost within a few years' time. 



In changes which survived the legislative process, the House 

 altered the "National Aeronautics and Space Agency" to a "National 

 Aeronautics and Space Administration," and replaced "Director" with 

 an "Administrator." The House bill as well as the final act added 

 an important freedom-of-information section which, as stated in House 

 Report 1770 — 



affirms the intent of Congress to let the people know all the facts, and to 

 promote the spread of scientific knowledge, subject only to necessary security 

 restrictions. 



