658 



HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



As you arc aware, I have discussed this matter with Congressman John Davis. 

 I have also taken the liberty of discussing it with Congressman Olin Teague and 

 Congressman John Blatnik, Chairman of the House Committee on Public Works, of 

 which I am a member 

 Sincerelv, 



(s) Mike 



Mike McCormack, 

 Member of Congress 



The five-page background memorandum reviewed the current 

 energy picture, noting: 



For a number of reasons, we now face an energy shortage. The growth of nuclear 

 power has not been as rapid as expected, and environmental questions and high inter- 

 est rates have combined to slow down the growth of plant capacity for generating 

 energy. As a result, in the past few years we have seen "brown outs" and "black outs" 

 in many areas of the United States. 



McCormack listed the numerous committees having a piece of the 

 energy picture: Government Operations, Joint Committee on Atomic 

 Energy, Interior and Insular Affairs, Interstate and Foreign Commerce, 

 Education and Labor, Ways and Means, and Select Committee on 

 Small Business. He added: 



With the exception of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy and a Senate 

 Interior Committee investigation into magnetohydrodynamics, almost all congres- 

 sional activity has been on energy-related issues other than research and development. 

 There does seem to be a lack of congressional activity in the energy R&D area, even 

 though the President's Energy Message contained a great emphasis on the R&D 

 aspects of the energy problem. 



Under a heading of "Task Force Activities", McCormack indicated: 



The proposed Task Force on Energy would investigate the research and develop- 

 ment aspects of alternative methods of producing and transmitting energy. These 

 would include: 



Controlled thermonuclear fusion. 



Various types of nuclear breeder reactors. 



Increased efficiency in conventional fossil fuel plants. 



Magnetohydrodynamics. 



Geothermal power. 



Solar power (utilizing both reflectors in space and solar cells on the ground). 



Tidal power. 



Hnergy conversion systems such as thermionics, thermoelectric, or similar 

 systems. 



Fuel cells 



Economical methods for the conversion of coal into gaseous and liquid fuels. 



Production of fuels from urban refuse. 



Commercially viable processes for the removal of sulfur oxides from stack gas 

 emissions. 



Oil shale and heavy oil recovery. 



Methods for the reclamation of or safe storage or disposal of industrial liquid and 

 solid wastes resulting from fuels and mineral processing. 



