Many potential sources are available for the gleaning of scientific information. The Congress could turn to the private sector. There are numerous consulting firms and advisory groups in Washington, DC, alone, all of whom will provide advice for a price. The price is not as important as the quality of the advice and its scientific validity. While many consulting firms may well provide good advice, their resources are small and their ability to get input from the best scientific minds is limited.
Impartiality is another concern.
Other government institutions could become more active in providing the Congress with the information that it needs. Institutions like NIH, NASA, and EPA are often called upon for opinion and advice by the Congress, although budgetary restraints prevent this activity from being a major one. Institutional budgets are not designed to meet the needs of Congressional committees, although some adjustments could be made. Institutional bias must also be considered, since invariably institutional survival mechanisms become active when those that hold the purse strings are doing the asking. The CRS has neither the budget, inclination, nor the scientific expertise to advise the Congress on scientific matters or science policy.