If established, the Foundation would take over the activities of the Office of Scientific Research and Development. The committee is fortunate in having before them the statements of the sponsors of this legislation. Mr. Mills and Mr. Celler have prepared extensive reports for the record, copies of which are available for the committee members. Mr. Case and Mr. Priest have studied the need for a National Science Foundation and its organizational form. We will have the benefit of their advice. Mr. Hays has joined with them. The Nation's interest in a National Science Foundation is evidenced by the imposing list of witnesses who will appear before this committee. Scientists, educators, medical authorities, engineers, the military services, and industry have evidenced a keen interest in federally financed basic research from which applied research must find its impetus. The list of witnesses would indicate that we have a small abridged edition of "Who's Who." They are: Hon. Robert Patterson, Secretary of War. Dr. Detley Bronk, president, National Research Council, president of Johnson Research Foundation. Dr. E. E. Day, president, Cornell University. Hon. Watson B. Miller, Administrator, Federal Security Agency. Mr. John Victory, executive secretary, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. Dr. Frank Jewett, president, National Academy of Science. Mr. William A. Higinbotham, executive secretary, Federation of American Scientists. Mr. George Folk, National Association of Manufacturers. Mr. Carroll Wilson, General Manager, Atomic Energy Commission. Dr. Robert M. Yerkes, emeritus professor of psychobiology, Yale University. Prof. Thorndyke Saville, dean of college of engineering, New York University, also representing the Engineering College Research Council. Admiral P. E. Lee, representing the Secretary of the Navy. Dr. R. T. Major, director of research, Merck Chemical Co., Rahway, N. J. Mr. Bruce Brown, vice president, Standard Oil Development Co. of Indiana. Dr. Ralph McDonald, National Education Association. Dr. J. R. Denslow, American Osteopathic Association, Kirksville, Mo. Dr. Vannevar Bush, president, Carnegie Institution of Washington, chairman, Joint Army-Navy Research Board, director, Office of Scientific Research and Development. Mr. Lewis G. Hines, legislative representative, American Federation of Labor. Dr. Douglas E. Scates, Duke University, Durham, N. C. We are concerned first with the need for a foundation. Creation of another Government agency is not compatible with our tax program unless the Nation's welfare and security is advanced. Having established that need, and both groups of bills before the committee agree on the need for a foundation, we should examine as to the form. The four identical bills suggest a 48-man board electing a 9-man executive committee all part-time, who, in turn, select a full-time director. Mr. Celler's bill suggests an administrator, appointed by the President, and a science board advisory to him. The scope of the Foundation's activities are essentially the same in both groups of bills with the exception of the social sciences. Mr. Celler's bill creates a division for these studies. The four identical bills would leave this matter to the discretion of the Foundation making it permissive rather than mandatory. There are differences in the method of treating patents. The identical bills would have the Foundation operate under existing patent practices until Congress revises them. Mr. Celler's bill suggests certain revisions in the patent structure relative to publicly financed research. There is a fourth difference relative to the specific allocation of funds to the services and to the land-grant and State colleges in Mr. Celler's bill. The identical bills provide for equitable distribution as to States on the basis that the broad 48-man board will provide sufficient representation for all groups. An extensive scholarship and fellowship program is recommended in both types of bills. The committee is cognizant of the need of replenishing our reservoir of scientific talent so sadly depleted in the recent war. It is also cognizant of the need for economy. The committee hopes the witnesses will define the scope of this training in order that the committee may be guided as to the cost of the program recommended. The committee appreciates that the time of many of the witnesses is limited. Testimony should be directed to the bills before the committee and to the specific points of interest in which the witness is best qualified to speak. The chairman will call each witness and for the benefit of the new members of the committee and the public, give a brief résumé of their background. Witnesses should submit a copy of their testimony to the clerk of the committee for the record and proceed with an oral summarization of the full statement or testify on all or that part of the statement as they prefer. It is suggested that each witness be permitted to complete direct testimony before cross-examination. May I ask that each witness called qualify himself when called and then enter his full statement for the record. I have made this brief résumé of the several bills for the reason that there are differences in detail as between the four identical bills and the bill introduced by Mr. Celler. It is appropriate to point out these differences and at the same time emphasize the underlying purpose of this legislation. (H. R. 942, H. R. 1815, H. R. 1830, H. R. 1834, and H. R. 2027 abovereferred to are as follows:) [H. R. 1815, 80th Cong., 1st sess.] A BILL To promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity and welfare; to secure the national defense; and for other purposes Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That this Act may be cited as the "National Science Foundation Act of 1947". ESTABLISHMENT OF NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SEC. 2. There is hereby established in the executive branch of the Government an independent agency to be known as the National Science Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the "Foundation"). MEMBERSHIP OF FOUNDATION SEC. 3. (a) The Foundation shall have forty-eight members to be appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The persons nominated for appointment as members (1) shall be outstanding men and women who are recognized leaders in the fields of the fundamental sciences, medical science, engineering, education, or public affairs; (2) shall be selected solely on the basis of established records of distinguished service and without regard to political, social, or religious factors; and (3) shall be so selected as to provide representation of the views of scientific leaders in all areas of the Nation. The President is requested, in the making of nominations of persons for appointment as members, to give due consideration to any recommendations for nomination which may be submitted to him by the National Academy of Sciences or by other scientific or educational organizations. (b) The term of office of each member of the Foundation shall be eight years, except that (1) any member appointed to fill a vacancy occurring prior to the expiration of the term for which his predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder of such term; and (2) the terms of office of the members first taking office after the date of enactment of this Act shall expire, as designated by the President at the time of appointment, twelve at the end of two years, twelve at the end of four years, twelve at the end of six years, and twelve at the end of eight years, after the date of enactment of this Act. No person who has served as a member of the Foundation for more than four years shall be eligible for reappointment as a member until the expiration of four years after the termination of his previous term. (c) The President shall designate one of the original members of the Foundation to act as chairman of the Foundation until such time as the executive committee referred to in section 5 (a) is elected and chooses its chairman as provided for by section 5 (b). The member so designated shall call the first meeting of the members of the Foundation and shall preside over such meeting until a chairman has been chosen. POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE FOUNDATION SEC. 4. (a) The Foundation is authorized (1) to develop, and to encourage the pursuit of, a national policy for scientific research and scientific education; (2) to initiate and support basic scientific research in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, engineering, and other sciences, by making contracts or other arrangements (including grants, loans, and other forms of assistance) for the conduct of such basic scientific research; (3) to initiate and support scientific research in connection with matters relating to the national defense by making contracts or other arrangments (including grants, loans, and other forms of assistance) for the conduct of such scientific research; (4) to grant scholariships and graduate fellowships in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, engineering, and other sciences; (5) to foster the interchange of scientific information among scientists in the United States and foreign countries; and (6) to correlate the Foundation's scientific research programs with those undertaken by individuals and by public and private research groups. (b) The members of the Foundation shall meet at the call of the Chairman but not less frequently than once each year. A majority of the members of the Foundation shall constitute a quorum. Each member shall be given notice, by registered mail mailed to his last-known address of record not less than fifteen days prior to any meeting, of the call of such meeting. CREATION AND POWERS AND DUTIES OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SEC. 5. (a) The Foundation shall elect biennially from its own membership an executive committee composed of nine members which shall, except as otherwise provided in this Act, exercise the powers and duties of the Foundation. The executive committee may delegate or assign to officers, employees, and divisions, within the Foundation, any of its powers, duties, and functions. (b) The executive committee shall choose its own chairman and vice chairman biennially, who shall also serve as chairman and vice chairman of the Foundation. The vice chairman shall perform the duties of the chairman in his absence. (c) The executive committee shall meet at the call of the chairman or at such times as may be fixed by itself, but not less than six times each year. (d) Five members of the executive committee shall constitute a quorum. (e) The executive committee may establish such advisory committees as it may determine to be necessary or desirable for the consideration of programs administered by the Foundation. (f) The executive committee shall render an annual report to the Foundation, for submission to the President and the Congress, summarizing the activities of the Foundation and making such recommendations as it may deem appropriate. DIRECTOR OF FOUNDATION SEC. 6. The Foundation shall have a chief executive officer, who shall be known as the Director of the Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the "Director"). The powers and duties of the Director shall be prescribed by the executive committee and shall be exercised and performed by him under the supervision of such committee. The Director shall be appointed by the executive committee, with the approval of a majority of the members of the Foundation. The Director shall receive compensation at the rate of $15,000 per annum. DIVISIONS WITHIN THE FOUNDATION SEC. 7. (a) There shall be within the Foundation a Division of National Defense and such other divisions as the Foundation may, from time to time, deem necessary. Each such division shall exercise such powers and perform such duties of the Foundation as may be prescribed by the Foundation. (b) Until otherwise provided by the Foundation, there shall be within the Foundation (1) a Division of Medical Research, which shall administer programs of the Foundation relating to research in the medical sciences; (2) a Division of Mathematical, Physical, and Engineering Sciences, which shall administer programs of the Foundation relating to research in the mathematical, physicial, and engineering sciences; (3) a Division of Biological Sciences, which shall administer programs of the Foundation relating to research in the biological sciences; (4) a Division of National Defense, which shall administer programs of the Foundation relating to research on military and naval matters; and (5) a Division of Scientific Personnel and Education, which shall administer programs of the Foundation relating to the granting of scholarships and graduate fellowships in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, engineering, and other sciences. DIVISIONAL COMMITTEES SEC. 8. (a) There shall be a committee for each division of the Foundation. (b) Each divisional committee, except the Committee for the Division of National Defense, shall be appointed by the Foundation and shall consist of not less than five persons who may be members or nonmembers of the Foundation. (c) The Committee for the Division of National Defense shall consist of mem bers in a number which is a multiple of four, to be fixed by the Foundation, but which shall be not less than eight and not more than forty. One-half of the membes of such committee shall be civilians appointed by the Foundation, and the remaining half shall be representatives of the War and Navy Departments, designated in equal numbers by the Secretary of War and the Secretary of the Navy, respectively. There shall be within the divisional committee for the Division of National Defense an executive committee of five, consisting of the chairman of the divisional committee, as chairman; two civilian members of such committee elected annually by the civilian members thereof; one member of such committee representing the War Department and designated by the Secretary of War, and one member of such committee representing the Navy Department and designated by the Secretary of the Navy. Such executive committee shall perform such functions as may be prescribed by the Committee for the Division of National Defense with the approval of the Foundation. (d) The term of each member of each divisional committee shall be fixed by the appointing or designating authority. Each divisional committee shall annually elect its own chairman from among its own members, and shall prescribe its own rules of procedure. (e) Each divisional committee shall have the power and duty to make recommendations to, and advise and consult with, the executive committee and the Director with respect to matters relating to the program of its division, and shall have such additional powers and duties as the Foundation may delegate or assign to it. (f) The Committee for the Division of National Defense shall establish regulations and procedures for the security classification of information or property in connection with scientific research (having military significance) under this Act, and for the proper safeguarding of any information or property so classified. SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS; REGISTER OF SCIENTIFIC PERSONNEL SEC. 9. (a) The Foundation is authorized to award scholarships and graduate fellowships for scientific study or scientific work in the mathematical, physical, medical, biological, engineering, and other sciences at accredited nonprofit American or foreign institutions of high education, selected by the recipient of such aid, for such period as the Foundation may determine. Persons shall be selected for such scholarships and fellowships solely on the basis of ability; but in any case in which two or more applicants for scholarships or fellowships, as the case may be, are deemed by the Foundation to be possessed of equal ability and there are not sufficient scholarships or fellowships, as the case may be, available to grant one to each of such applicants, the Foundation shall award the available scholarship or scholarships or fellowship or fellowships to the applicants in such manner as will tend to result in a wide distribution of scholarships and fellowships among the States, Territories, possessions, and the District of Columbia. (b) The Foundation shall maintain a register of scientific and technical personner and in other ways provide a central clearinghouse for information covering all scientific and technical personnel in the United States and its possessions. No individual shall be listed in such register without his consent. AUTHORITY OF FOUNDATION SEC. 10. The Foundation is empowered to do all things necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act, and, without being limited thereby, the Foundation is specifically authorized (a) to prescribe such rules and regulations as it deems necessary governing the manner of its operations and its organization and personnel; (b) to make such expenditures as may be necessary for carrying out the provisions of this Act; (c) to enter into contracts or other arrangements for the carrying on, by organizations or individuals, including other Government agencies, of such scientific research activities as the Foundation deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act; (d) to enter into such contracts or other arrangements, or modifications thereof, without legal consideration, without performance or other bonds, and without regard to section 3709 of the Revised Statutes (41 U. S. C., sec. 5); |