Organization: NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC
Mission: TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY, PERFORMANCE, AND ACCOUNTABILITY OF GOVERNMENT.
Activities: STUDIES AND ADVISORY SERVICES: UNDER CONTRACTS WITH GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, SOME OF WHICH ARE DIRECTED BY CONGRESS, THE ACADEMY UNDERTOOK STUDIES OF CRITICAL PUBLIC MANAGEMENT ISSUES AND PROVIDED ADVISORY SERVICES TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. IN 2019, THE THREE MOST SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS WERE RELATED TO STUDIES AND SERVICES PROVIDED FOR THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL, NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION (NNSA), AND CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE.ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL: AT THE REQUEST OF THE ARCHITECT OF THE CAPITOL (AOC), THE ACADEMY CONVENED A BLUE RIBBON PANEL OF SUBJECT-MATTER EXPERTS IN THE FIELDS OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE, AND FEDERAL FINANCE AND REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT TO STUDY OPTIONS TO RENEW THE RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING (RHOB) AND THE LONGWORTH HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING (LHOB). BASED ON RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION, THE PANEL CONCLUDED THAT: (1) SUBSTANTIAL REINVESTMENT WILL BE NECESSARY TO ENSURE THAT BUILDINGS WILL BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESS OF GOVERNMENT INTO THE FUTURE. (2) THE RHOB IS IN WORSE CONDITION THAN THE LHOB, DESPITE HAVING BEEN BUILT DECADES LATER. (3) SPACE AND SYSTEM CONFIGURATION CONSTRAINTS NECESSITATE THE CONSTRUCTION OF ADDITIONAL MEMBER SUITE AND COMMITTEE HEARING ROOM SPACES. WITHOUT SWING SPACE, CONSTRUCTION COULD STRETCH INTO A PERIOD OF 26 YEARS OR MORE. THE PANEL RECOMMENDED THAT THE AOC MOVE FORWARD WITH RENEWALS OF THE RHOB AND LHOB, STARTING WITH THE RHOB. RENEWAL SHOULD INCLUDE THE CREATION OF SWING SPACE TO ENABLE RELOCATION OF MEMBERS AND COMMITTEES DURING CONSTRUCTION. NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION: AT THE REQUEST OF CONGRESS, THE ACADEMY IS CONDUCTING A REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION PLAN DEVELOPED BY THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY AND THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE NATIONAL NUCLEAR SECURITY ADMINISTRATION TO REFORM THE GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE. THE PLAN IS INTENDED TO ADDRESS RECOMMENDATIONS-EXCEPT THOSE REQUIRING LEGISLATION-FROM THE NOVEMBER 2014 REPORT OF THE CONGRESSIONAL ADVISORY PANEL (CAP) ON THE GOVERNANCE OF THE NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE, ENTITLED "A NEW FOUNDATION FOR THE NUCLEAR SECURITY ENTERPRISE," AS WELL AS RECOMMENDATIONS FROM AN OCTOBER 2015 STUDY BY THE COMMISSION TO REVIEW THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE NATIONAL ENERGY LABORATORIES AND A JUNE 2015 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF ENERGY TASK FORCE ON DOE NATIONAL LABORATORIES. THE ACADEMY HAS FORMED A JOINT PANEL WITH THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES OF SCIENCES, ENGINEERING AND MEDICINE AND IS PERIODICALLY REPORTING TO CONGRESS ON DOE'S AND NNSA'S PROGRESS IN IMPLEMENTING THE REFORMS RECOMMENDED BY THE CAP REPORT. THE WORK TO DATE HAS RECOGNIZED NNSA'S PROGRESS IN ADDRESSING LONGSTANDING GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT CONCERNS.CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE: IN THE CONFERENCE REPORT TO ACCOMPANY H.R. 5895, CONGRESS DIRECTED THE CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE (CRS) TO CONTRACT WITH THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (THE ACADEMY) TO CONDUCT A REVIEW TO INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING. (1) DETAILING THE CURRENT RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH REGARDING SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (S&T) POLICY, INCLUDING THE GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE (GAO); (2) ASSESSING THE POTENTIAL NEED WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH TO CREATE A SEPARATE ENTITY CHARGED WITH THE MISSION OF PROVIDING NONPARTISAN ADVICE ON ISSUES OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, SUCH AS THE FORMER OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT (OTA); AND (3) ADDRESSING WHETHER THE CREATION OF A SEPARATE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH ENTITY WOULD DUPLICATE SERVICES ALREADY AVAILABLE TO MEMBERS OF CONGRESS. TO UNDERTAKE THIS REVIEW, THE ACADEMY FORMED A PANEL OF FIVE DISTINGUISHED ACADEMY FELLOWS. THE PANEL WAS SUPPORTED BY A PROFESSIONAL STUDY TEAM. THE PANEL'S REPORT PROVIDES CONTEXT FOR UNDERSTANDING CONGRESSIONAL NEEDS, INCLUDING AN OVERALL DECLINE IN STAFF AND TIME DEVOTED TO S&T AND OTHER POLICY ISSUES. THE REPORT FURTHER PROVIDES A TAXONOMY OF CONGRESSIONAL NEEDS FOR S&T POLICY RESOURCES AND AN INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS OF THESE RESOURCES THAT ARE AVAILABLE TO CONGRESS FROM AGENCIES WITHIN THE LEGISLATIVE BRANCH. THE INVENTORY IS ASSESSED AGAINST THE TAXONOMY TO IDENTIFY GAPS.
NTEE category: Public & Societal Benefit
Secondary category: Community Improvement & Capacity Building