280 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON s< IENCE AND II ( HNOLOGY 



Will K I DC \VI GO FROM HERE? 



The President's Space Task Group Report in 1969, and the first 

 efforts in L970 by the committee to finance the Space Shuttle, failed to 

 answer all the questions about the future goals of the space program. 

 There was a big let-down after the first manned landing on the Moon. 

 Near-panic struck the aerospace industry as employment sagged from 

 well over 400,000 to scarcely over 100,000 by 1970 among NASA- 

 supported contractors. From January 1969 through July 1970, 74,000 

 people employed in manufacturing in the five-county Los Angeles 

 area were thrown out of work; 57,600 of these were aerospace workers. 



Technically trained engineers and scientists were pumping gaso- 

 line, or drawing unemployment or welfare checks, while entire divi- 

 sions of aerospace corporations were being phased out. In the late 

 summer of 1970, Chairman Tcague's Oversight Subcommittee planned 

 to hold September and October hearings on the present and future of 

 the space program. An extended session of Congress and uncertainty 

 over NASA's appropriation legislation forced the cancellation of the 

 formal hearings, but the testimony submitted by NASA and industry 

 officials was published as a special committee print. After outlining the 

 sad state of the aerospace industry, the testimony agreed that "a revi- 

 talized space program, given strong direction and adequate funding, is 

 needed for the United States to retain its technological preeminence in 

 the decades ahead.'' 



COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP ON FUTURE OF SPACE 



Teague had no patience with those who were contending that this 

 country had too many internal problems to afford a high level of 

 spending for space. As Teague put it: 



It ( olumbus had waited until Europe had no more internal problems, he would 

 still he waiting, hut the opening of the new world did more to revive European 

 culture and economy than any internal actions could possibl) have done. 



Chairman Miller, who frequently stressed the need for a more 

 personalized, less formal dialogue than the forum of a committee 

 hearing would allow, decided late in 19~0 to plan "a small gathering 

 of the senior members of this Committee and leaders of the major 

 aerospace companies.'' In a private note to a tew committee members. 

 Miller stated: "It is urgent that we share in an exchange of ideas on 

 what the Congress and industry can do toward assuring a vigorous 

 and continuing space program through the 19~0's." Cocktails, dinner 

 and an extended after-dinner confab took place at the Federal City 

 Club. Sheraton-Carlton Hotel, in Washington on the evening of 



