SUMMARY OF FEDERAL RECOMBINANT DNA LEGISLATION 
95TH CONGRESS --FIRST SESSION 
The 95th Congress, first session, which began January 4 and ended 
December 22, 1977, saw the introduction of 16 bills on the topic of 
recombinant DNA. In addition, there were numerous proposed bills 
that were debated and discarded without ever being formally introduced. 
Four different committees held a total of 25 hearings or markup 
sessions, listening to nearly 100 witnesses. Because of the intense 
interest and widely differing viewpoints, no consensus was achieved 
and the discussions will continue in 1978. 
A few of the key figures in the legislation area are Senators Edward 
Kennedy, Gaylord Nelson, Adlai Stevenson, Jacob Javits, and Harrison 
Schmitt, and Representatives Harley Staggers, Paul Rogers, Ray 
Thornton, Andrew Maguire, Tim Lee Carter and Olin Teague. Senator 
Kennedy chairs the Subcommittee on Health and Scientific Research, 
and Senator Stevenson chairs the Subcommittee on Science, Technology, 
and Space. Representative Staggers chairs the Interstate and Foreign 
Commerce Committee, which includes the Subcommittee on Health and 
the Environment, chaired by Representative Rogers. Representative 
Teague chairs the Committee on Science and Technology, which includes 
the Subcommittee on Science, Research, and Technology, chaired by 
Representative Thornton. 
Thus far, the Kennedy and Rogers subcommittees have exercised 
sole jurisdiction over legislation involving recombinant DNA issues in 
their respective bodies. However, the Stevenson and Thornton sub- 
committees have held a number of oversight hearings concerning 
the science policy issues involved in recombinant DNA activities and 
have demonstrated a strong interest in this issue. They may receive 
sequential referral of any bills reported out of other committees. 
A substantially amended version of S. 1217, backed by Senator 
Kennedy, was reported out of the Committee on Human Resources on 
July 22, 1977. In the House, H. R. 7897, sponsored by Representative 
Rogers, was reported out by the Subcommittee on Health and the 
Environment. Action was not completed on either bill in the First 
Session of the 95th Congress. 
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