INCHING TOWARD Till: MITRK SYSTEM, 1959-79 



467 



Bell, and Fuqua. Even before he was formally named as the new chair- 

 man of the full committee, Teague dropped in his metric bill on the 

 first day of the new Congress — on January 3, 1973, at which time he 

 issued the following statement: 



The conversion to t he metric system is of sufficient importance so that I expect it 

 to receive early consideration by the committee. The bill which I have introduced 

 is essentially the same as that which was passed by the Senate during the last Con- 

 gress. Additional hearings by the Committee on Science and Astronautics may cause 

 modifications; however, the United States is one of the last nations to remain on the 

 old system of measures and it is important for our economy that in this area we catch 

 up with the times. 



At the committee's organization meeting, on February 26, 1973, 

 Chairman Teague indicated that he planned to hire former Chairman 

 Miller as a consultant on the metric bill for a few months. The burden 

 of staff work in the metric area, which had been ably carried by com- 

 mittee chief clerk and counsel John A. Carstarphen, Jr., since 1959, 

 was gradually taken over by Dr. John D. Holmfeld, as the emphysema 

 which eventually caused Carstarphen's death progressively weakened 

 his physical strength. 



Representative John W. Davis (Democrat of Georgia), left, on an inspection tour of 

 NASA's Langley Research Center with Lud Andolsek, U.S. Civil Service Commission and 

 Representative Don Fuqua (Democrat of Florida.) At right is Dr. Richard Heldenfels of 



Langley. 



