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HISTORY OF THI COMMITT] I ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



Representative Thomas N. Downing (Democrat of Virginia) meets with Skylab 

 astronauts. From left, Alan Bean, Downing, Jack R. Lousma, and Dr. Owen K. Garriott. 



2. Representative Thomas N. Downing of Virginia 



Congressman Downing, a product of the Virginia Tidewater and 

 lifelong resident of Newport News, Va., is the very epitome of a 

 southern gentleman of the old school. One can picture him riding 

 with the hounds, his 6-foot frame dominating the scene near white- 

 columned mansions, as southern belles with long, flowing dresses sip 

 mint juleps on a wide veranda. Amid the conviviality of a story-telling 

 evening, it seemed natural for Downing to launch into an impassioned 

 plea to restore Gen. Robert E. Lee's citizenship and pass his bill to 

 correct a century-old injustice — which is precisely what Congress got 

 around to doing. 



Elected to Congress in 1958 with a huge class of newcomers which 

 also included Karth, Hechler, and Daddario, each of whom ascended to 

 subcommittee chairmanships early in the 1960's, Downing did not join 

 the Science Committee until 1962. This meant he had to wait his turn 

 until 1971 before getting his own subcommittee. He was then named 

 head of the Oversight Subcommittee, and moved up to the chairman- 

 ship of the Space Science and Applications Subcommittee in 1972. 

 After he had announced in 1976 that he planned to retire from Congress 

 at the end of that year, Speaker Albert persuaded Downing to take the 

 chairmanship of the Select Committee on Assassinations for the last 

 few months of 1976. 



