CONGRESSIONAL RECORD -- SENATE

February 17, 1966

Page 3402

AUTHORIZATION TO COMMITTEE ON. GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS TO STUDY ORIGIN OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS FINANCED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution (S. Res. 218) authorizing the Committee on Government Operations to study the origin of research and development programs financed by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government.

Mr. ELLENDER. Mr. President, I notice that this is a new undertaking. The request is for $66,000 and for four employees. I wonder what is being done in this connection?

Mr. JORDAN of North Carolina. I believe that the Senator from Maine [Mr. MUSKIE] can speak on this subject.

Mr. MUSKIE. I am not a member of the subcommittee, but I am a member of the full committee.

The distinguished chairman of the subcommittee, the Senator from Oklahoma [Mr. HARRIS], who is unavoidably absent from the Senate today, asked me to handle this matter for him.

The subcommittee was created by the distinguished chairman of the full committee, the Senator from Arkansas [Mr. MCCLELLAN] last August 20.

His statement appears in the RECORD of August 20, 1965, together with a justification by the chairman of the subcommittee, the Senator from Oklahoma [Mr. HARRIS].

Yesterday, according to the RECORD at page 3124, the chairman of the subcommittee inserted in the RECORD a justification of this subcommittee. I read briefly from that statement, as follows:

The Subcommittee on Government Research is the only subcommittee in the Senate which has Government wide jurisdiction in the field of research and development being carried on by the various agencies and departments of the Federal Government. Virtually every major agency or department in the Federal Government annually contracts for research and development. Last year the Federal Government spent a total of $15.5 billion for this purpose. The bulk of this figure, of course, was in the development field, but much of it was in basic research, both in the social and physical sciences.

Some of the very serious questions for which Congress must find the answers, suggest the fields of inquiry scheduled by our subcommittee.

First. Are the large expenditures for research and development and the various component research project expenditures necessary and justified?

Second. To what extent are improved administrative procedures required to guard against or eliminate unnecessary or improper overlapping and duplication among the Federal agencies?

Third. How may we establish broad national policies for making value judgments on how much emphasis will be given to various fields of research concerned, as compared with others, and for the best use of our limited national research manpower resources?

Fourth. How may we better provide for the dissemination of research results for governmental, institutional, and industrial use?

Fifth. How may we be more certain of fairness in the distribution of Government research contracts among potential research contract recipients, particularly institutions of higher education?

I may add to what the distinguished chairman of the subcommittee said in his remarks in the RECORD yesterday by saying that the full Committee on Government Operations has the responsibility for continuing oversight of all operations of the Government, from the point of view of efficiency and economy.

This is an activity of Government research and development which has vastly grown, especially in the post-World War II period.

The chairman of the full committee decided to look into what is being done, in depth, and to determine whether too little or too much is being done, and whether it can be done much better.

Therefore, this is consistent with the continuing responsibility at the Committee on Government Operations. It is important that the activity should be delegated to the subcommittee at this time.

Mr. ELLENDER. Has this not been done before by the full committee?

Mr. MUSKIE. The full committee has worked in this field, in a limited sense, in connection with hearings on these activities, from the point of view of both labor contracts and management. Therefore, from time to time the full committee has devoted its attention to this problem.

Former Senator HUMPHREY, when he was chairman of the Subcommittee on Reorganization and International Organizations, looked into the question of research in the field of health and international organizations.

Therefore, from time to time, the full committee has devoted its attention to one aspect or another of the research and development activities of the Government. An across-the-board study in depth is proposed. I know that the distinguished Senator from Oklahoma [Mr. HARRIS] could respond more specifically to the Senators questions, but this is my impression of what has been proposed.

The full committee was convinced of the justification of this activity when it was suggested by the distinguished Senator from Arkansas [Mr. MCCLELLAN]. I really believe that this is a worthwhile inquiry.

Mr. ELLENDER. I presume, from what the Senator has said, that this will be a permanent subcommittee.

Mr. MUSKIE. If the problem continued, the work of the subcommittee could continue. I am not in a position to promise its discontinuance. I am not the chairman of the committee; or a member of the subcommittee.

Mr. ELLENDER. I am sure it will not be discontinued.

The PRESIDING OFFICER. The question is on agreeing to the resolution. The resolution (S. Res. 218) was agreed to, as follows:

[TEXT OF RESOLUTION OMITTED]