United States Congress Joint Committee on Atomic Energy

The Joint Committee on Atomic Energy (JCAE) was a United States congressional committee that was tasked with exclusive jurisdiction over "all bills, resolutions, and other matters" related to civilian and military aspects of nuclear power from 1946 through 1977. It was established by the United States Atomic Energy Act of 1946, and was the overseer of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. It had been preceded by the Senate Special Committee on Atomic Energy, chaired by Senator Brien McMahon. For its broad powers, it is described as one of the most powerful congressional committees in U.S. history. It was the only permanent joint committee in modern times to have legislative authority.

The panel coupled these legislative powers with exclusive access to the information upon which its highly secretive deliberations were based. In particular its relations with the U.S. Department of Defense and the individual armed services were especially close. The joint committee was also entitled by statute to be kept "fully and currently informed" of all commission activities and vigorously exercised that statutory right, demanding information and attention from the executive branch in a fashion that arguably has no equivalent today.

During the early years of the Cold War, McMahon became the Senate's most prominent expert on atomic energy matters and as chairman exercised considerable influence towards increasing the focus on nuclear weapons as being essential to the American national interest. In this McMahon was aided by the executive director of the committee's staff, William L. Borden, who himself became a powerful figure. Senator Bourke Hickenlooper also served as chair during the early years of the committee and shared a similar sensibility. Indeed regardless of which party controlled the committee, the push for increased production of nuclear materials, and a resultant increase in the American nuclear stockpile, continued.

One major power wielded by the JCAE was the "Legislative Veto". This unique power enabled the JCAE to influence policy decisions while matters were pending. This enabled the JCAE to act as a co-decision maker with the executive branch rather than only providing congressional oversight of actions that had already occurred. The legislative veto power was later found to be unconstitutional by the United States Supreme Court in 1983.

This committee was the main opponent to the creation of the EPA. The Ash Council addressed its resistance to interference by proposing to only transfer over to the new agency the responsibilities of setting radiation standards outside of nuclear power plants.

The JCAE had various subcommittees including Agreements for Cooperation, Communities, Legislation, Military Application, National Security, Raw Materials, Radiation (Special), and Research and Development.

During the 1970s, the committee's role in shaping nuclear policy began to diminish after the Nuclear Regulatory Commission was created to replace the Atomic Energy Commission. Congress soon transferred the bulk of the joint committee's jurisdiction over civilian nuclear power to other standing congressional committees in the House and Senate. The joint committee was finally abolished on August 5, 1977.

Prominent members

• Brien McMahon (D-CT), 1946–52: Senator who was legislative author of the Atomic Energy Act of 1946, chairman of the JCAE whenever Democrats controlled Congress (1946, and 1949–52), until his death. Chairman of the JCAE during detection of the first Soviet atomic bomb, the debate over the hydrogen bomb, and the discovery of Klaus Fuchs as a spy.
• Bourke Hickenlooper (R-IA), 1946–68: Ranking senator throughout much of its early history; chairman of the JCAE from 1947 to 1948. In 1949, he led a campaign accusing AEC chairman David E. Lilienthal of "incredible mismanagement" of the US nuclear complex.

Committee members, 1946–1977

The joint committee had equal representation between both the House and Senate, with 5 majority and 4 minority members from each house. The committee was chaired by a senator from the majority party until the 83rd Congress, when the chairmanship began to alternate between a majority representative and majority senator.

Historical membership

79th Congress, 1946

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Brien McMahon, Connecticut, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Tom Connally, Texas Harry F. Byrd, Virginia	Arthur Vandenberg, Michigan Eugene Millikin, Colorado Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa William Knowland, California
House members	R. Ewing Thomason, Texas, Vice Chair Carl T. Durham, North Carolina Aime Forand, Rhode Island Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois	Charles Elston, Ohio J. Parnell Thomas, New Jersey Carl Hinshaw, California Clare Boothe Luce, Connecticut

80th Congress, 1947–1949

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa, Chair Arthur Vandenberg, Michigan Eugene Millikin, Colorado William Knowland, California John W. Bricker, Ohio	Brien McMahon, Connecticut Richard Russell, Georgia Edwin C. Johnson, Colorado Tom Connally, Texas
House members	W. Sterling Cole, New York, Vice Chair Charles Elston, Ohio Carl Hinshaw, California James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania James T. Patterson, Connecticut	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Lyndon Johnson, Texas

81st Congress, 1949–1951

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Brien McMahon, Connecticut, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Edwin C. Johnson, Colorado Tom Connally, Texas Millard Tydings, Maryland	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa Eugene Millikin, Colorado William Knowland, California John W. Bricker, Ohio
House members	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina, Vice Chair Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Paul J. Kilday, Texas Henry M. Jackson, Washington	W. Sterling Cole, New York Charles Elston, Ohio Carl Hinshaw, California James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania

82nd Congress, 1951–1953

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Brien McMahon, Connecticut, Chair (until July 28, 1952) Richard Russell, Georgia Edwin C. Johnson, Colorado Lyndon Johnson, Texas Clinton Anderson, New Mexico	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa Eugene Millikin, Colorado William Knowland, California John W. Bricker, Ohio
House members	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina, Vice Chair Acting Chair (from July 28, 1952) Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Paul J. Kilday, Texas Henry M. Jackson, Washington	W. Sterling Cole, New York Charles Elston, Ohio Carl Hinshaw, California James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania

83rd Congress, 1953–1955

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa, Vice Chair Eugene Millikin, Colorado William Knowland, California John W. Bricker, Ohio Guy Cordon, Oregon	Richard Russell, Georgia Clinton Anderson, New Mexico John Pastore, Rhode Island Al Gore Sr., Tennessee
House members	W. Sterling Cole, New York, Chair Carl Hinshaw, California James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania James T. Patterson, Connecticut Thomas A. Jenkins, Ohio	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Paul J. Kilday, Texas

84th Congress, 1955–1957

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Clinton Anderson, New Mexico, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia John Pastore, Rhode Island Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa Eugene Millikin, Colorado William Knowland, California John W. Bricker, Ohio
House members	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina, Vice Chair Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Paul J. Kilday, Texas John J. Dempsey, New Mexico	W. Sterling Cole, New York Carl Hinshaw, California James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania James T. Patterson, Connecticut

85th Congress, 1957–1959

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Clinton Anderson, New Mexico, Vice Chair Richard Russell, Georgia John Pastore, Rhode Island Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa William Knowland, California John W. Bricker, Ohio Henry Dworshak, Idaho
House members	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina, Chair Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Paul J. Kilday, Texas John J. Dempsey, New Mexico (until March 11, 1958) Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado (from March 17, 1958)	W. Sterling Cole, New York (until December 1, 1957) James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania James T. Patterson, Connecticut Thomas A. Jenkins, Ohio Craig Hosmer, California (from January 15, 1958)

86th Congress, 1959–1961

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Clinton Anderson, New Mexico, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia John Pastore, Rhode Island Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa Henry Dworshak, Idaho George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah
House members	Carl T. Durham, North Carolina, Vice Chair Chet Holifield, California Melvin Price, Illinois Paul J. Kilday, Texas (until January 29, 1959) Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado Albert Thomas, Texas (from January 21, 1959)	James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania Craig Hosmer, California William H. Bates, Massachusetts Jack Westland, Washington

87th Congress, 1961–1963

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Vice Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Clinton Anderson, New Mexico Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa Henry Dworshak, Idaho (until July 23, 1962) George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Everett Dirksen, Illinois (from July 31, 1962)
House members	Chet Holifield, California, Chair Melvin Price, Illinois Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado Albert Thomas, Texas Thomas G. Morris, New Mexico	James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania Craig Hosmer, California William H. Bates, Massachusetts Jack Westland, Washington

88th Congress, 1963–1965

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Clinton Anderson, New Mexico Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Everett Dirksen, Illinois (until February 11, 1963) Carl Curtis, Nebraska (from February 11, 1963)
House members	Chet Holifield, California, Vice Chair Melvin Price, Illinois Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado Albert Thomas, Texas Thomas G. Morris, New Mexico	James E. Van Zandt, Pennsylvania William H. Bates, Massachusetts Jack Westland, Washington John B. Anderson, Illinois

89th Congress, 1965–1967

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Vice Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Clinton Anderson, New Mexico Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Carl Curtis, Nebraska
House members	Chet Holifield, California, Chair Melvin Price, Illinois Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado Albert Thomas, Texas (until February 15, 1966) Thomas G. Morris, New Mexico John Young, Texas (from March 1, 1966)	Craig Hosmer, California William H. Bates, Massachusetts John B. Anderson, Illinois William McCulloch, Ohio

90th Congress, 1967–1969

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Clinton Anderson, New Mexico Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	Bourke B. Hickenlooper, Iowa George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Carl Curtis, Nebraska
House members	Chet Holifield, California, Vice Chair Melvin Price, Illinois Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado Thomas G. Morris, New Mexico John Young, Texas	Craig Hosmer, California William H. Bates, Massachusetts John B. Anderson, Illinois William McCulloch, Ohio

91st Congress, 1969–1971

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Vice Chair Richard Russell, Georgia Clinton Anderson, New Mexico Al Gore Sr., Tennessee Henry M. Jackson, Washington	George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Carl Curtis, Nebraska Norris Cotton, New Hampshire
House members	Chet Holifield, California, Chair Melvin Price, Illinois Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado John Young, Texas Ed Edmondson, Oklahoma	Craig Hosmer, California William H. Bates, Massachusetts (until June 22, 1969) John B. Anderson, Illinois William McCulloch, Ohio Catherine Dean May, California (from July 24, 1969)

92nd Congress, 1971–1973

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Chair Richard Russell, Georgia (until January 21, 1971) Clinton Anderson, New Mexico Henry M. Jackson, Washington Stuart Symington, Missouri (from January 28, 1971) Alan Bible, Nevada	George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Carl Curtis, Nebraska (until February 4, 1971) Norris Cotton, New Hampshire (until February 10, 1971) Peter H. Dominick, Colorado (from February 10, 1971) Howard Baker, Tennessee (from February 10, 1971)
House members	Melvin Price, Illinois, Vice Chair Chet Holifield, California Wayne N. Aspinall, Colorado John Young, Texas Ed Edmondson, Oklahoma	Craig Hosmer, California William H. Bates, Massachusetts John B. Anderson, Illinois William McCulloch, Ohio Orval Hansen, Idaho

93rd Congress, 1973–1975

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Vice Chair Henry M. Jackson, Washington Stuart Symington, Missouri Alan Bible, Nevada (until December 17, 1974) Joseph Montoya, New Mexico	George Aiken, Vermont Wallace F. Bennett, Utah Peter H. Dominick, Colorado Howard Baker, Tennessee
House members	Melvin Price, Illinois, Chair Chet Holifield, California (until December 13, 1974) John Young, Texas Teno Roncalio, Wyoming Mike McCormack, Washington John E. Moss, California (from December 13, 1974)	Craig Hosmer, California John B. Anderson, Illinois Orval Hansen, Idaho Manuel Lujan Jr., New Mexico

94th Congress, 1975–1977

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	John Pastore, Rhode Island, Chair Henry M. Jackson, Washington Stuart Symington, Missouri Joseph Montoya, New Mexico John V. Tunney, California	Howard Baker, Tennessee Clifford P. Case, New Jersey James B. Pearson, Kansas James L. Buckley, New York
House members	Melvin Price, Illinois, Vice Chair John Young, Texas Teno Roncalio, Wyoming Mike McCormack, Washington John E. Moss, California	John B. Anderson, Illinois Manuel Lujan Jr., New Mexico Frank Horton, New York Andrew J. Hinshaw, California

95th Congress, 1977

	Majority	Minority
Senate members	Henry M. Jackson, Washington, Vice Chair
House members	Vacant, Chair

Staff members

• William L. Borden, executive director of staff, 1949–1953: Unusually powerful and influential staff figure who advocated for nuclear weapons development in the United States government. Most known for sending a letter that led to the Oppenheimer security hearing.

See also

• Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from 9/11 Commission Recommendations: Joint Committee on Atomic Energy — A Model for Congressional Oversight? (PDF). Congressional Research Service. August 20, 2004.

1. Young, Ken; Schilling, Warner R. (2019). Super Bomb: Organizational Conflict and the Development of the Hydrogen Bomb. Ithaca, New York: Cornell University Press. pp. 4, 33.
2. Bundy, McGeorge (1988). Danger and Survival: Choices About the Bomb in the First Fifty Years. New York: Random House. pp. 205–206.
3. Rhodes, Richard (1995). Dark Sun: The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb. New York: Simon & Schuster. pp. 279, 280.
4. CQ Press : Current Events In Context : Constitution Day - "Legislation Declared Unconstitutional", CQPress.com
5. Elkins, Chuck (October 2013). "Transcript of "Behind the Scenes at the Creation of the EPA" Video" (PDF). EPA Alumni Association. Retrieved August 20, 2018.
6. "Bourke B. Hickenlooper Papers". www.ecommcode2.com. Archived from the original on 8 September 2008. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
7. Hewlett, Richard G.; Holl, Jack M. (1989). Atoms for Peace and War, 1953–1961: Eisenhower and the Atomic Energy Commission (PDF). A History of the United States Atomic Energy Commission. Vol. 3. Berkeley, California: University of California Press. pp. 40, 110.

External links

• Library.stanford.edu: Joint Committee on Atomic Energy Digital Library — hosted by Stanford University.