500 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



expense of otherwise neglected basic science. Following up some 

 cuts in the applied research programs by the committee in 1969, the 

 1970 quizzing on these issues was challenging and critical. At stake 

 was that portion of NSF's work which later came to be known as 

 "Research Applied to National Needs. ' ' After attacking the program in 

 1969, and leading the effort to cut it from the budgeted request of $10 

 million down to $6 million, Daddario raised many questions about the 

 1970 request for $13 million. "There are still some cynics in the 

 Congress," Daddario observed, but the committee agreed to the in- 

 crease. It was not so much that some members opposed the program; 

 they just wanted to be sure it did not crowd out or reduce basic 

 research. 



The committee confronted even more serious challenges in 1970. 

 The so-called Mansfield amendment, requiring the Department of 

 Defense and other mission-oriented agencies to confine their research 

 to the specific mission of the agency, forced the termination of several 

 projects in which NSF was interested or obligated to pick up. In 

 addition, the committee hearings revealed a need to stimulate greater 

 interest among younger scientific talent through additional graduate 

 traineeships and other means. 



In announcing an increase of $27.6 million over the $500 million 

 budget for NSF, Daddario stated on March 24, 1970: 



This year the situation with regard to the National Science Foundation has 

 radically changed. During the past year, we have found that demands for new pro- 

 grams were coupled with cutbacks in scientific research and training by the mission 

 agencies. But resources have not been available to the NSF to fund the meritorious 

 programs among those being terminated. Our review has shown the Administration 

 request is inadequate to meet the bare minimum requirements for the NSF support of 

 American science. * * * 



Mosher indicated that the NSF increase "proves largely illusory, 

 when measured against the new responsibilities NSF is inheriting as 

 castoffs from other agencies." He added: 



The net result will almost certainly be a decrease next year for overall support 

 of basic research. 



NSF FUNDING IN 1970 



A hot battle developed on the House floor over a Roudebush 

 recommittal motion to cut NSF funding back to the budgeted figure of 

 $500 million. Roudebush contended: 



The question before us today, as I see it, is not that of choosing leadership or 

 mediocrity in science. Rather, it is that of supporting sound budget policies. 



