730 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



Throughout the Nation and in the Congress, the spirit of reform 

 was abroad in the late 1960's and early 1970's. To make Congress 

 more responsible and responsive, a large contingent of younger and 

 middle-level House Members were raising questions about the seniority 

 system and how to open up new initiatives for the overwhelming 

 majority of Members who had not been around long enough to rise 

 to become chairmen. In 1970, the Democratic caucus set up the Demo- 

 cratic Committee on Organization, Study and Review which was 

 headed by Mrs. Hansen. The January 1971 Democratic caucus passed 

 by a substantial majority a recommendation of the Hansen Committee, 

 stipulating: 



A subcommittee chairman shall be entitled to select and designate at least one 

 staff member for said subcommittee, subject to the approval of a majority of the 

 Democratic members of said full committee. 



MILLER OPPOSES CAUCUS RULE 



When the organization meeting of the full committee assembled 

 on February 23, 1971, it occurred to one Member that this might be a 

 good provision to implement in the rules of the committee. Miller 

 made it clear that he did not like any effort to incorporate the caucus 

 rule as a committee rule. At the start of the meeting, he engineered 

 a quick maneuver, as follows: 



The Chairman. Gentlemen, this meeting will come to order. This is the organi- 

 zational meeting of this committee, and it has always been a closed meeting, and 

 under the new rules if we have a closed meeting (it) will require a majority vote of 

 the committee. Therefore, I will now entertain a motion that the organization meet- 

 ing be closed. 



Mr. Fulton. I so move. 



Mr. Karth. I second. 



The Chairman. It has been moved and seconded that the organization meeting 

 be a closed meeting. All those in favor signify by saying "aye." Contrary minded? 

 The "ayes" have it. The meeting is a closed meeting. 



It all happened so fast that very few Members read any signifi- 

 cance into the adroit move to insure that no searchlight of publicity 

 could pick up what was to occur. 



Chairman Miller moved ahead smoothly. Members at the opening 

 of the new Congress were in a glowing mood. Nobody wanted a 

 fight, that was obvious. Suddenly, Miller said: 



Adoption of the rules.* * * It is my thought that the committee approve the 

 rules as adopted in the previous Congress. But if there is no objection 



Suddenly, Hechler heard himself shouting: "Mr. Chairman." He 

 quickly submitted two amendments which had been adopted by the 

 Democratic Caucus, one to allow each subcommittee chairman to 



