II 

108TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. 2556 

To amend chapter 7 of title 31, United States Code, to provide for a 

technology assessment capability within the General Accounting Office, 

and for other purposes. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 22, 2004 

Mr. BINGAMAN (for himself and Mr. LIEBERMAN) introduced the following 

bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To amend chapter 7 of title 31, United States Code, to 

provide for a technology assessment capability within 

the General Accounting Office, 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. GENERAL ACCOUNTING OFFICE TECHNOLOGY 

4 ASSESSMENTS. 

5 (a) FINDINGS AND PURPOSES.— 

6 (1) FINDINGS.—Congress finds that— 

7 (A) it is important for Congress to be bet8 ter informed regarding the impact of technology 

9 on matters of public concern, including implica-
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•S 2556 IS 

1 tions for economic, national security, social, sci2 entific, and other national policies and pro3 grams; 

4 (B) on a pilot basis, the General Account5 ing Office has demonstrated a capacity to per6 form independent and objective technology as7 sessments for Congress; and 

8 (C) the development of a cost-effective and 

9 efficient capacity for timely and deliberate tech10 nology assessments by the General Accounting 

11 Office requires the commitment of additional 

12 resources and administrative flexibility given 

13 the current resource constraints of the General 

14 Accounting Office. 

15 (2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are 

16 to— 

17 (A) direct the establishment of a tech18 nology assessment capability in the General Ac19 counting Office; 

20 (B) ensure the quality of such technology 

21 assessments in order to enhance the ability of 

22 Congress to address complex technical issues in 

23 a more timely and effective manner; and 

24 (C) condition the development of a tech25 nology assessment capability in the General Ac-
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1 counting Office on the provision of adequate ad2 ditional resources and administrative flexibility. 

3 (b) TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENTS.—Chapter 7 of title 

4 31, United States Code, is amended by inserting after sec5 tion 720 the following: 

6 ‘‘§ 721. Technology assessments 

7 ‘‘(a) The General Accounting Office shall establish a 

8 technology assessment capability to coordinate and pre9 pare information for Congress relating to the policy impli10 cations of applications of technology. 

11 ‘‘(b) The Comptroller General may establish stand12 ards and procedures to govern technology assessments 

13 performed under this section as the Comptroller General 

14 determines necessary. 

15 ‘‘(c) Technology assessments performed under this 

16 section shall— 

17 ‘‘(1) provide Congress with timely and objective 

18 information to contribute to legislative consideration 

19 of technology applications and their policy implica20 tions, including thorough reports, in-depth studies, 

21 and short-term consultations; 

22 ‘‘(2) be undertaken by the Comptroller General 

23 with special attention to the technical expertise and 

24 policy analysis skills needed to perform a prospective 
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1 assessment of technology applications and policy im2 plications; 

3 ‘‘(3) be designed, to the extent practicable, to 

4 review an application of technology to an issue of 

5 public interest, including consideration of benefits, 

6 cost, and risks from such technology; and 

7 ‘‘(4) include peer review by persons and organi8 zations of appropriate expertise. 

9 ‘‘(d) In performing technology assessments, the 

10 Comptroller General shall be properly apprised of Federal 

11 and non-Federal entities providing information to Con12 gress to— 

13 ‘‘(1) enable effective coverage of critical issues; 

14 and 

15 ‘‘(2) avoid duplication of effort. 

16 ‘‘(e) Technology assessments performed under this 

17 section may be initiated as provided under section 717(b). 

18 ‘‘(f)(1) In consultation with the National Academy of 

19 Sciences, the Comptroller General shall establish a tech20 nology assessment advisory panel to provide advice on 

21 technology assessments performed under this section, 

22 methodologies, possible subjects of study, and the means 

23 of improving the quality and timeliness of technology as24 sessment services provided to Congress. 
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1 ‘‘(2) The advisory panel shall consist of 5 members, 

2 who by reason of professional background and experience, 

3 are specially qualified to advise on technology assessments. 

4 ‘‘(3) Terms on the advisory panel shall— 

5 ‘‘(A) be for a period of 2 years; and 

6 ‘‘(B) begin on January 1, on each year in which 

7 a new Congress is convened. 

8 ‘‘(4) Notwithstanding section 1342, for the purposes 

9 of establishing a technology assessment advisory panel, the 

10 Comptroller General may accept and use voluntary and 

11 uncompensated services (except for reimbursement of 

12 travel expenses). Individuals providing such voluntary and 

13 uncompensated services shall not be considered Federal 

14 employees, except for purposes of chapter 81 of title 5 and 

15 chapter 171 of title 28. 

16 ‘‘(g)(1) In order to gain access to technical knowl17 edge, skills, and expertise necessary for a technology as18 sessment performed under this section, the Comptroller 

19 General may utilize individuals and enter into contracts 

20 or other arrangements to acquire needed expertise with 

21 any agency or instrumentality of the United States, with 

22 any State, territory, or possession or any political subdivi23 sion thereof, or with any person, firm, association, cor24 poration, or educational institution. 
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1 ‘‘(2) Contracts and other arrangements under this 

2 subsection may be entered into— 

3 ‘‘(A) with or without reimbursement; and 

4 ‘‘(B) without regard to section 3709 of the Re5 vised Statutes (41 U.S.C. 5) or section 3324 of this 

6 title. 

7 ‘‘(h) The Comptroller General shall submit to Con8 gress an annual report on technology assessment activities 

9 of the General Accounting Office. 

10 ‘‘(i)(1) There are authorized to be appropriated to the 

11 General Accounting Office to carry out the activities de12 scribed in this section, $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

13 2004, 2005, and 2006. 

14 ‘‘(2) Technology assessments under this section may 

15 not be performed during fiscal years 2004, 2005, and 

16 2006, unless a sufficient annual appropriation is provided 

17 for such fiscal years.’’. 

18 (c) TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENT.— 

19 The table of sections for chapter 7 of title 31, United 

20 States Code, is amended by inserting after the item relat21 ing to section 720 the following: 

‘‘721. Technology assessments.’’. 

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