The year is 1977. In 1970, a Democratic Congress and Republican President Nixon passed the Clean Air Act, which set very optimistic targets for reducing air pollution over the next decade, including automobile emissions. Along with the standards came penalties if automobile manufactures failed to meet them.

Congress is now trying to revise the standards. Everyone agrees that the original standards were unrealistic (no one really knew how much could be accomplished over the next decade). But there is disagreement about how much the auto industry can accomplish. Can they do it, but are stonewalling because it will cost them money? Further complicating the debate is the energy crisis and the struggling economy. Is clean air more important than jobs?

The film starts in the Health subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce committee, which has primary jurisdiction over the issue. The subcommittee then reports to the full Committee. The full Committee then decides whether and what version of the bill to refer to the floor. The protaganists then seek favorable floor procedures from the Rules Committee, before the bill goes to the House floor. The final scene shows House and Senate negotiating a single version of the bill in Conference Committee.

Rogers chairs the subcommittee. Dingell chairs the full committee. Both are Democrats and President Carter is a Democrats as well. But on this issue, the Democrats are divided.

BTW, the technology they are discussing is the Catalytic convertor, which is now standard on all cars. I love how they are discussing air pollution in smoke filled rooms! Can you spot Al Gore!

This is a more recent film that chronicles a young political challenger's effort to win a congressional seat in St. Louis. It nicely illustrates the hectic, marathon like character of campaigns.  While you share this experience with Mr. Smith, be sure to think about the lessons the film offers if you were going to run for Congress.