▁surg ery ▁in ▁May ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁while ▁serving ▁his ▁ 1 8 th ▁term ▁in ▁the ▁House . ▁At ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁his ▁death , ▁Brown ▁was ▁the ▁Rank ing ▁Democratic ▁Member ▁on ▁the ▁House ▁Science ▁Committee ▁and ▁a ▁senior ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁Agricult ure ▁Committee . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁oldest ▁serving ▁House ▁member ▁and ▁the ▁longest - ser ving ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁House ▁or ▁Senate ▁in ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁his ▁home ▁state ▁of ▁California . ▁Dem ocrat ▁Joe ▁B aca ▁was ▁elected ▁to ▁his ▁seat ▁in ▁a ▁special ▁election . ▁ ▁Legisl ative ▁record ▁ ▁" I ▁was ▁interested ▁in ▁science ▁before ▁I ▁even ▁knew ▁what ▁science ▁was ." ▁– Ge orge ▁E . ▁Brown ▁Jr . ▁ ▁Brown ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁a ▁champion ▁for ▁science . ▁He ▁left ▁behind ▁a ▁deep ▁and ▁exp ans ive ▁legacy ▁that ▁has ▁sh aped ▁science ▁and ▁science ▁policy ▁in ▁America . ▁ ▁Among ▁some ▁of ▁his ▁many ▁accomplish ments ▁during ▁his ▁service ▁on ▁the ▁House ▁Science ▁Committee : ▁ ▁Est ab lished ▁the ▁first ▁federal ▁climate ▁change ▁research ▁program ▁in ▁the ▁National ▁Cl imate ▁Program ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 7 8 ▁ ▁Est ab lished ▁the ▁Office ▁of ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology ▁Policy ▁ ▁Est ab lished ▁the ▁Environment al ▁Prote ction ▁Agency ▁ ▁Est ab lished ▁the ▁( now ▁def unct ) ▁Office ▁of ▁Technology ▁Ass ess ment ▁ ▁Cons istent ▁with ▁his ▁long - h eld ▁conv iction ▁that ▁the ▁nation ▁needed ▁a ▁coh er ent ▁technology ▁policy , ▁Brown ▁developed