2s(^ HISTORY <>! THI COMMITTEE ON SCIENC1 AND TECHNOLOGY 



from a heart attack on October 6, 1971, Fulton finally made the sug- 

 gestion that there should be a compromise because "I don't want a 

 floor fight with this committee.'' Karth picked up the concept by 

 suggesting that "I am trying to find some area where we can go to 

 the House with a solid front." Wvdler clinched the decision to move 

 toward a compromise by a very timely statement: 



1 |usr want to say to Mr Karth I look at this as a practical matter now. * * * I 

 think it is much more important on the authorization hill we act as one man. I think 

 that is the significant and important thing, and quite frankly Karth help on this 

 bill is of very great importance in the way the bill will move. * * * I think it is 

 terriblv important that we have a unified committee, and if that is the price, let's 

 pay it, it is well worth it in my judgment. 



Fulton's compromise amendment to limit the recommended in- 

 crease in the Space Shuttle authorization to $25 million won support 

 of the full committee. The important point is that once the compromise 

 was adopted, Karth was locked in to support it, and his colleagues 

 who had rebelled against the Shuttle in 1970 felt obligated to support 

 the increase also. Mosher, who had threatened to vote "Present", 

 wound up supporting the $125 million for the Shuttle and also the 

 balance of the program. 



FLOOR DEBATE ON NASA AUTHORIZATION IN 1971 



The floor debate on the NASA authorization bill found the com- 

 mittee members unanimous in their support of the Shuttle. Fuqua and 

 Frey, joined by nine other Members, issued "Additional Views" in 

 the committee report which outlined the strongest arguments for 

 proceeding with the Shuttle. The Fuqua-Frev statement ended with 

 this assertion: 



The development of the Space Shuttle is essential if this Nation is to maintain 

 its preeminence in space. We should proceed without delay. The technology necessary 

 for the Space Shuttle development is at hand. What is required is the will to do it 



Clearly, the corner had been turned. Committee members who had 

 opposed the Shuttle now )oined a united committee front in its support . 

 Instead of a separate report by opponents, as had occurred in 1970, 

 there was now a separate report by Fuqua, Frey and their allies, on 

 the positive side. The new display of unity effectively gunned down 

 opposition to the Shuttle in the House authorization debate. And 

 when Representative Bella S. Abzug ( Democrat of New York) in- 

 troduced an amendment to remove the $125 million Shuttle authoriza- 

 tion from the bill, the committee members moved m with a whoop 

 and a holler and obliterated her effort by a crushing voice vote 



