346 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



Subcommittee Chairman Hechler advised Chairman Miller that he 

 would not speak against the Rangel amendment, and in fact planned 

 to vote for it. Representative Alphonzo Bell (Republican of California) 

 undertook to oppose the Rangel amendment, with this argument: 



This is not a situation we can influence, something we can directly control. 

 No one can say there is any racism in my soul. I have voted for every civil rights 

 measure brought to the floor of the House. I simply think it is ridiculous for us to 

 attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of the South African Government. 



Pelly told the House that "the author of this amendment in the 

 subcommittee, on which I have the honor to be a member, did some 

 very effective work, and directed some very penetrating questions on 

 this whole subject. ' ' Pelly added : 



I would hope, though, that if we are going to eliminate Johannesburg as a track- 

 ing station that we would also eliminate Chile, which has a Communist government, 

 and Ecuador, which seizes our fishing boats, and I wish the gentleman would bulk 

 them in all together. 



Rangel responded succinctly: 



I think that this Congress is sophisticated enough to take on one moral problem 

 at a time, and I think I would be susceptible to any suggestion concerning any nation 

 that is violating the rights of men. 



Teague and Miller both spoke against the Rangel amendment, Miller 

 stating: 



These stations are located geographically irrespective of the government in the 

 area where they are located. 



Representative Ronald V. Dellums (Democrat of California) put it 

 this way: 



The only justification I have heard in the past 20 minutes for maintaining this 

 station in Johannesburg is to protect safety of astronauts. I certainly do not want any- 

 thing to happen to astronauts, but I raise this rhetorical question: Why are we so 

 committed to a program that would allow the astronauts to walk in the tranquility 

 of the Moon when we have not found the ability to come together on the floor of this 

 Congress to adopt policies that would enhance our ability to walk as brothers and 

 sisters on the face of this Earth? 



Miller concluded: 



I cannot see how you are going to do the things you have got to do and decide 

 that you cannot do it because geographically the part of the country in which you 

 want to place a tracking station happens to be under a government we do not like. 



