612 



HISTORY OF Till COMMITTEE ON s< IENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



COMMITTEE MUFFS ITS CHANCE IN 1972 



In the fall of 1972, the subcommittee had another chance to focus 

 on the significant, strategic recommendations of the 1970 report 

 "Toward a National Science Policy." The subcommittee muffed the 

 chance. As noted in chapter XII, the subcommittee held two days of 

 hearings on S. 32, "The National Science Policy and Priorities Act 

 of 1972," which had passed the Senate. The September 26-27 hearings 

 were not taken very seriously by the subcommittee, which looked on 

 them as a perfunctory exercise undertaken at the request of the Senate 

 and the Democratic nominee for President. The subcommittee took 

 the position that the bill was not going to get to the House floor 

 anyhow before the end of the 92d Congress. Perhaps this is why the 

 hearings were barren of any serious discussion of leadership for science 

 policy. The Presidential election of 1972 was just around the corner, 

 and the attention of the subcommittee members seemed to be diverted. 



THE REORGANIZATION BOMBSHELL 



Then came the bombshell which resulted in the disintegration of 

 the existing science policy apparatus in the White House. 



Reorganization Plan No. I of 1973 was transmitted to the Con- 

 gress on January 27. On January 29, Teague sent copies of the plan and 

 accompanying press statements to all committee members for their 

 information. Dr. J. Thomas Ratchford of the Science Subcommittee 

 staff, in a February 6 memo to Symington, pointed out that the plan 

 had two dangers: (1) Henceforth the National Security Council would 

 take over from the President's Science Adviser and PSAC the function 

 of coordinating scientific advice for the Defense Department; (2) 

 "There is no doubt that the 1973 Reorganization Plan represents an 

 official downgrading of science in the Executive Office of the President 

 and the Federal Government." Dr. Ratchford, however, softened this 

 criticism by noting: 



On the other hand, it probably represents a de facto situation which has been 

 in existence for many years. It is not inconceivable that an effective NSF Director 

 who has the ear of the OMB Director and the Assistant to the President for economic 

 affairs could be more effective than some of the previous OST Directors. * * * One 

 cannot know the real effects of the 1973 Reorganization Plan, should it be imple- 

 mented, for some years. 



Chairman Chet Holifield (Democrat of California) of the House 

 Government Operations Committee transmitted a copy of the plan to 

 the committee and other House committees whose jurisdiction was 

 affected. In the absence of any congressional resolution of disapproval 

 by April 5, the plan became effective on July 1. 



