Hearings, Reports and Prints of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs

The committee met, pursuant to notice, at 9:45 a.m., in room 1324, Longworth House Office Building, Hon. Wayne N. Aspinall (chairman of the committee) presiding.

The CHAIRMAN. The Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs will be in session for the business regularly scheduled to come before it this morning.

The meeting this morning was announced as a briefing session. The staff has called it an indoctrination session of the committee. The chairman would rather call it a get-acquainted meeting so we will have a little better idea of those from the Department, with whom we shall work from a legislative angle, and the Department representatives will have a better understanding of the committee's operations. This committee has always been very careful to keep its relationship with the Department over which it has legislative jurisdiction in as good condition as possible and to maintain an understanding position. We do not always agree, and the executive departments do not always agree with us. That we understand what we are doing is most impor

tant.

I think the first obligation that I would like to perform this morning is to present the new members of the committee to the Secretary and those accompanying him.

The members who have been here for one term or longer will not be introduced, but in order that the Department representatives may know who has been added to our list-may I say to the Secretary we have a very fine group of new members-I shall present those who are new. Then I shall ask the Secretary to introduce the members of his organization that he wishes to present to us as he sees fit.

The first new member, of course, is Dave King, Congressman from the Second District of Utah, who has been a member of this committee before. I think all of us will remember Dave. Dave, if you will just hold up your hand so the new officials of the Department may see you. Then we come over to this side of the committee. If I remember correctly, we start over here with Mr. Tunney, who is next in line in seniority. We had to go over to the Republican side for some reason or other this year to gain seating capacity. Mr. Tunney comes from California in the place of Mr. Martin.

Then next to Mr. Tunney is Mr. Bingham, of New York. Mr. Secretary, I think you are acquainted with Mr. Bingham and with his father.

Next to him is Mr. Foley, of Washington.

Then sitting down here, Mr. Craley, of Pennsylvania, representing, of course, that district where President Eisenhower lives.

Next to him is Mr. Race, of Wisconsin.

Mr. Richard White, of Texas, who replaces Mr. Foreman, had to be absent for a few minutes, but he will come in.

Mr. Roncalio is here from Wyoming taking the place of former member, Mr. Harrison.

Then over on the Republican side we have Mr. Wyatt, of Oregon. Next to him is Mr. Hansen of Idaho.

Next to him is Mr. Smith of New York.

Next to him is Ed Reinecke, of California.

Then succeeding the gentleman who was the Commissioner from Puerto Rico, a long-term member of this committee, succeeding Dr. A. Fernós-Isern, is Mr. Santiago Polanco-Abreu sitting down here, from Puerto Rico.

Those are the new members, Mr. Secretary.

We are glad that you are here and you may present your staff as you see fit and we shall be glad to follow your wishes in this particular

matter.

Secretary UDALL. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. If I may keep the spirit going by being facetious, as a Democrat I like this idea of this infiltration which is going on over on this side. Also, I saw someone had used the word "indoctrination" session. I thought that was most unfortunate. I learned long ago never to try to indoctrinate a Congressman and I want you to know we are not coming here with that in mind. We might plant a stray suggestion here and there, but we never try to indoctrinate.

I will ask my people to stand up. I do not have as many new members of my team as you do, but I have some and we will have some

more.

First, my new Under Secretary, who has been part of my team for the last 4 years, whom all of you know well, John Carver, from Idaho.

Moving down the roll of the Assistant Secretaries, I have one vacancy in the position Under Secretary Carver formerly occupied. Secretary Kenneth Holum, who handles the water and power development of the Department.

Assistant Secretary Beasley, the old pro of the Department.

Secretary Frank Briggs, from Missouri, handling fish and wildlife

matters.

Secretary John Kelly, from New Mexico, handling minerals and petroleum and things of that nature.

Also, we have here with us today the Solicitor, Frank Barry.

The science adviser, John Calhoun, who comes from Texas via Pennsylvania.

Two people you particularly want to get acquainted with, since you will have more dealings with them than almost anyone else, Bob McConnell, the legislative liaison, and Max Edwards, the legislative counsel.

I think I will settle for that for the moment, Mr. Chairman.

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