EPILOGUE: SUMMARY OF CHAPMKs 1Q21 



national materials policy. Led by Thornton, the committee also carried 

 forward extensive oversight and public information hearings, and 

 published useful reports on DNA and genetic engineering popularly 

 known as "gene-splicing." In 1977 and 1978, Thornton and Fuqua 

 led hearings on the science policy questions and benefits which might 

 be achieved by DNA research. In addition, inquiries were made in 

 the effective utilization of Federal laboratories, fuller employment 

 of scientists and engineers, the encouragement of science policy 

 developments on the State and local level, river basin planning, 

 water resources, agricultural research, world food problems, and 

 Federal patent policies as they related to scientific and technological 

 matters. In 1979, the House passed a materials policy R. & D. bill. 



Chapter Xlll 



When President Nixon in 1973 abolished the scientific machinery 

 in the White House, the committee started a long campaign to re- 

 establish the presence of scientific advice at the highest levels of 

 government. It was one of the major achievements of the committee, 

 demonstrating congressional initiative at its finest. Under the bipar- 

 tisan leadership of Teague and Mosher a thorough record was estab- 

 lished through exhaustive hearings held in the three-year period from 

 1973 through 1975- With the assistance of a broad representation of 

 the scientific community, including all of the former Presidential 

 science advisers, the committee carefully proceeded toward drafting 

 acceptable legislation which would give science and technology a 

 strong voice in the White House structure. Watergate and President 

 Nixon's resignation at first seemed to divert attention from the careful 

 work the committee had accomplished, but the net effect was to speed 

 up the timetable considerably. Mosher found Vice President Ford 

 receptive, and both Teague and Mosher realized that once Ford became 

 President he was a key factor in reestablishing the science machinery 

 in the White House. In fact, Mosher wrote President Ford a personal 

 letter the day after he was sworn in, urging him to give additional 

 thought to the issue. There were still long months of negotiation 

 ahead, particularly involving Vice President Rockefeller. The com- 

 mittee kept pressing toward perfecting a Teague-Mosher bill which 

 was acceptable to the White House. Rockefeller provided a dramatic 

 spectacular when he visited and endorsed the efforts of the committee 

 in a public hearing on June 10, 1975 



As the Teague-Mosher bill finally evolved, it set up an Office of 

 Science and Technology Policy with a Director who would also serve 

 as the President's Science Adviser. These features survived in the 

 progress of the legislation. A major breakthrough occurred when 



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