CHAPTER XVI 



Aeronautics and Transportation 



"One of the more serious problems facing NASA in aeronautics 

 is the growing and serious lack of new, young scientific and engineer- 

 ing personnel," declared Hechler in submitting a 1970 recommenda- 

 tion, accepted by the House, to reverse the "creeping age level" of 

 NASA aeronautical engineers. Hechler's amendment added $1.4 million 

 to provide research fellowships, summer jobs, and scholarships to 

 attract more young people into the aeronautics field. 



The initiative of the Subcommittee on Advanced Research and 

 Technology (renamed in 1972 Aeronautics and Space Technology) was 

 directed at building strength for the future. As Hechler remarked to 

 the House in presenting his subcommittee's portion of the 1970 NASA 

 authorization bill: 



I remind the House that the advanced research and technology program provides 

 the reservoir of new technology for our aeronautics and space programs of the future. 



He pointed out that NASA had hired only 23 young college graduates 

 in the aeronautics area in 1969 as against 179 in 1966. Pelly, ranking 

 minority member of the Hechler subcommittee — a conservative on 

 nearly every spending issue — strongly supported more emphasis on 

 aeronautical research, as he told the House: 



Whether we are talking about civil air transport, noise abatement, air pollution, 

 safety, congestion, or improvements in aircraft themselves, we definitely need more 

 research effort, intelligently organized and directed. 



BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FOR AERONAUTICAL R. & D. 



During the 1970's, a bipartisan group of committee members 

 worked aggressively to expand the Nation's active effort in aeronautics 

 and aviation. Hechler, Pelly, Wydler, and Goldwater were the most 

 outspoken leaders in this area from 1970 through 1974, with Milford 

 and Lloyd teaming up with Wydler and Goldwater to take the lead 

 in the 1975-78 period. (See chapter IX for list of Hechler subcommittee 

 members, 1970-74.) Harkin took over the subcommittee in 1979. 



In its 1970 report entitled "Issues and Directions for Aeronautical 

 Research and Development," the Hechler subcommittee issued a call 

 for "a national aeronautics and aviation policy" (see pages 254-255)- 



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