II 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1211 

To establish an Office of Foreign Science and Technology Assessment to 

enable the United States to effectively analyze trends in foreign science 

and technology, and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 9, 2005 

Mr. BINGAMAN introduced the following bill; which was read twice and 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

A BILL

To establish an Office of Foreign Science and Technology 

Assessment to enable the United States to effectively 

analyze trends in foreign science and technology, and 

for other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Foreign Science and 

5 Technology Assessment Act of 2005’’. 
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1 SEC. 2. OFFICE OF FOREIGN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 

2 ASSESSMENT. 

3 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—There is established within 

4 the Department of State an Office of Foreign Science and 

5 Technology Assessment. 

6 (b) DIRECTOR.—The head of the Office shall be a 

7 Director, who shall be the Science Advisor to the Secretary 

8 of State. 

9 (c) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Office shall be to 

10 assess foreign science and technologies that have the capa11 bility to cause a loss of high technology industrial leader12 ship in the United States. 

13 (d) OPERATION.—In preparing an assessment of 

14 science and technology for a foreign country, the Director 

15 shall utilize, to the extent feasible, United States entities 

16 capable of operating effectively within such foreign coun17 try. 

18 (e) AVAILABILITY OF ASSESSMENTS.—The Director 

19 shall make each assessment of foreign science and tech20 nology prepared by the Office available to the public in 

21 a timely manner. 

22 (f) AUTHORITIES.—In order to gain access to tech23 nical knowledge, skills, and expertise necessary to prepare 

24 an assessment of foreign science and technology, the Sec25 retary of State may utilize individuals and enter into con26 tracts or other arrangements to acquire needed expertise 
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1 with any agency or instrumentality of the United States, 

2 with any State, territory, possession, or any political sub3 division thereof, or with any person, firm, association, cor4 poration, or educational institution, with or without reim5 bursement, and without regard to section 3709 of the Re6 vised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5) or section 3324 of title 31, 

7 United States Code. 

8 SEC. 3. FOREIGN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT 

9 PANEL. 

10 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary of State shall 

11 establish a Foreign Science and Technology Assessment 

12 Panel. 

13 (b) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the Panel shall be to 

14 provide advice on assessments performed by the Office of 

15 Foreign Science and Technology Assessment, including re16 view of foreign science and technology assessment reports, 

17 methodologies, subjects of study, and the means of im18 proving the quality and timeliness of the Office. 

19 (c) MEMBERSHIP.—The Panel shall consist of 5 

20 members who, by reason of professional background and 

21 experience, are specially qualified to provide advice on the 

22 activities of science and technology in foreign countries as 

23 such activities apply to the United States. 

24 (d) APPOINTMENT.—The Secretary of State, in con25 sultation with the Director of the Office of Science and 
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1 Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the Presi2 dent, shall appoint the panel members. 

3 (e) TERM.—A member shall be appointed to the 

4 Panel for a term of 3 years. 

5 (f) AUTHORITY TO ACCEPT SERVICES.—Notwith6 standing section 1342 of title 31, United States Code, the 

7 Secretary of State may accept and employ voluntary and 

8 uncompensated services (except for reimbursement of 

9 travel expenses) for the purposes of the Panel. An indi10 vidual providing such a voluntary and uncompensated 

11 service may not be considered a Federal employee, except 

12 for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5, United States Code, 

13 with respect to job-incurred disability and title 28, United 

14 States Code, with respect to tort claims. 

15 SEC. 4. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

16 There are authorized to be appropriated such sums 

17 as may be necessary to carry out this Act.

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