696 HISTORY OF THE COMMITTEE ON SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 



MONRONEY-MADDEN JOINT COMMITTEE 



In the mid-1960s, there was a good chance to broaden the com- 

 mittee's jurisdiction which lacked only the leadership of the com- 

 mittee to capitalize on it. Speaker McCormack appointed Hechler as 

 one of the three House Democrats on the Monroney-Madden Joint 

 Committee on the Organization of Congress in 1965- Working from the 

 inside, Hechler had frequent opportunities to enhance the prestige, 

 defend the good reputation, and even broaden the committee's juris- 

 diction. For example, when Senator Proxmire suggested that space was 

 simply a matter of communication and transportation and should be 

 merged with the Commerce Committee, Hechler responded: 



Being a member of the House Committee on Science and Astronautics, our com- 

 mittee handles a good deal more than "communication and transportation." We deal 

 with the entire spectrum of scientific research and development, and building of the 

 scientific strength of the Nation. 



Occasionally, coaxing questions to witnesses produced good results, 

 as when Hechler asked the Director of the Budget, Charles L. Schultze 

 how he would characterize the relationships between Congress and the 

 scientific community. Schultze responded: 



The recent hearings of Chairman Daddario's subcommittee of the House Com- 

 mittee on Science and Astronautics on the National Science Foundation evidenced 

 mutual respect between the legislator and the scientist, no doubt based on some 

 mutual education in recent years. 



Despite discreet proddings, Miller did not recognize the advantage 

 of this great forum for building the strength of the committee. Only 

 two committee members testified before the joint committee, Wydler 

 and Rumsfeld. Wydler advocated application to Congress of many of 

 the computerized techniques developed in NASA. Beyond that, he 

 and Rumsfeld also zeroed in on the desperate need for more staff on the 

 Science Committee and particularly staff assigned to the minority. It 

 is unfortunate that the type of organized effort utilized in 1973 in con- 

 nection with the Boiling committee was not also put forward in 1965. 



THE LOST OPPORTUNITY 



The final report of the joint committee recommended that the 

 jurisdiction of the Science and Astronautics Committee be broadened 

 to include "jurisdiction over environmental sciences." Hechler was 

 able to persuade the joint committee to include this language in its 

 final report in 1966: 



Science and engineering have acquired in recent decades a crucial importance in 

 governmental affairs. They influence and help shape not only our national security 

 policies but a broad range of domestic and international public policies as well. 



