THE OVERTON BROOKS YEARS, 1959-61 43 



Vinson went on to document through copies of the Hebert sub- 

 committee transcript that his subcommittee was only inquiring into 

 management of the Atlas booster, and not the NASA-controlled Vega; 

 then unleashed a final swipe at Brooks: 



If, in the future, you should feel it necessary, or desirable, to raise this same sub- 

 ject or other related matters, I trust you will extend to me the courtesy of first 

 making inquiry as to the facts before assuming, on the basis of rumor, that this 

 committee has transcended its jurisdiction. 



Brooks couldn't resist getting in the last word, and wrote Vinson 

 on May 12 to express his appreciation for the "attitude" of Vinson 

 and Hebert. Then he confessed that one of his sources was Aviation 

 Daily. 



The running fight between Brooks and Vinson and their respective 

 committee jurisdictions erupted with greater fury at the end of Julv 

 1959, when Vinson blasted Brooks with a three-page letter charging 

 again that the Science and Astronautics Committee was invading the 

 jurisdiction of the Armed Services Committee. Vinson pointed to a 

 July 22 Brooks press release announcing that the Brooks committee 

 was inquiring into various aspects of the Atlas and Polaris missiles. 

 Vinson told Brooks that "I fail to find anything within the rules of the 

 House which grant the jurisdiction which you have announced you 

 intend to exercise." Vinson concluded: 



I trust that you will find it advisable to reconsider your decision to assume juris- 

 diction over a subject matter which is clearly within the jurisdiction of this com- 

 mittee. In the event of your unwillingness to accede to this request, it is my further 

 judgment that the matter should be submitted to the Speaker for resolution. 



In a masterpiece of understatement, Brooks responded on July 28 

 that "I believe that a misunderstanding has arisen between us." But 

 he stood his ground. Brooks told his committee, and repeated his 

 statement in response to Vinson, that "this committee was not at- 

 tempting to poach on the jurisdiction of any other committee." He 

 defended the inquiry into Atlas because it was a booster for the 

 Mercury man-in-space program, and explained that the committee 

 was interested in Polaris because it was concerned with research and 

 development on solid propellants. Brooks then related a little piece of 

 personal history: 



You will recall that before leaving the House Armed Services Committee and 

 before accepting the place as Chairman of the House Committee on Science and As- 

 tronautics, I came to your office to discuss the jurisdiction of the two commit- 

 tees. * * * At that time you, in substance, assured me that we would have no trouble 

 in establishing jurisdictional lines since your committee with its $40 billion juris- 

 diction ^the largest in the House) had more jurisdiction than it needed and could use. 

 It has, therefore, given me pleasure to consult with you repeatedly on various matters 

 affecting our committees. 



