United States Congressional Joint Committee on Atomic Energy

• 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. ;79th Congress, 1946 ;80th Congress, 1947–1949 ;81st Congress, 1949–1951 ;82nd Congress, 1951–1953 ;83rd Congress, 1953–1955 ;84th Congress, 1955–1957 ;85th Congress, 1957–1959 ;86th Congress, 1959–1961 ;87th Congress, 1961–1963 ;88th Congress, 1963–1965 ;89th Congress, 1965–1967 ;90th Congress, 1967–1969 ;91st Congress, 1969–1971 ;92nd Congress, 1971–1973 ;93rd Congress, 1973–1975 ;94th Congress, 1975–1977 ;95th Congress, 1977 ==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==