Title: Congress's own think tank : learning from the legacy of the Office of Technology Assessment (1972-1995) /
Authors: Blair, Peter D.
Year: 2013
Subjects: United States. History.; Technology assessment United States History; Technology and state United States History; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS Industries General.; Civil service & public sector USA.; Science: general issues USA.; Politics and Government.; Technology and state; Technology assessment
Abstract: "In 1972 the United States Congress established the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) as a small analytical agency to become better informed about implications of new and emerging technologies. OTA's principal products--technology assessments--were designed to inform Congressional deliberations and debates about issues that involved science and technology dimensions but without recommending specific policy actions. OTA's unique governance by a bicameral and bipartisan board of House and Senate Members helped ensure that issues the agency addressed were tightly aligned with the Congressional agenda and that assessments were undertaken with partisan and other stakeholder bias minimized. Over a span of 23 years OTA completed 755 reports on a wide range of topics including health, energy, defense, space, information technology, environment, and many others until Congress terminated the agency's annual appropriation of funds to operate in 1995. A number of organizations have sought to fill the gap left in the wake of OTA's closure, but with mixed results to date. Congress' Own Think Tank recaps the OTA experience--its creation, operation, and circumstances of its closure--and that of organizations attempting to fill the gap since OTA's closure as well as a number of new forces shaping the current context for science and technology issues facing the Congress. All these factors are important to consider in fashioning new or adapting existing sources of science and technology advice for the Congress"--Provided by the publisher.
Contents: 1. Introduction: The context for science and technology advice for Congress -- Science and technology advice for Congress -- 2. Pre-history : meeting the need for science advice to the U.S. Congress -- 3. Key features of the Technology Assessment Act of 1972 -- The evolving role of TAB -- The role of TAAC -- The role of OTA's director -- 4. Startup : setting the agenda in OTA's early years -- Beginnings -- Erosion of early warning and the role of TAAC -- Evolution of staff roles -- The short-lived "priorities list" -- 5. Growing pains : evolution of OTA's process of technology assessment -- The OTA assessment process -- OTA's internal organization -- 6. Impact and influence as the OTA model matured -- Congressional uses of OTA reports -- OTA as a "shared staff" for Congress -- 7. Closing OTA : transition in the 104th Congress -- The "Contract with America" -- The congressional debate : a cut of convenience -- 8. After the fall : post OTA efforts to fill the gap -- The GAO experiment -- Increased utilization of the National Research Council -- International experiences -- 9. Looking forward : comparing future options -- The changing context for congressional science and technology advice -- Desirable features for new sources of S&T advice tuned to congressional needs -- Summary -- Conclusions -- Appendix: The Technology Assessment Act of 1972.