In general, I think it is accurate to say that decisions are usually only as good as the information upon which they are based. Without funding, the OTA is effectively dead, although the Technology Assessment Act, which was signed into law by President Nixon in 1972, has not been repealed. A future Congress could resurrect the OTA, but for the moment the office has been eliminated. An article addressing the achievements of the OTA appears on page 154. These matters are especially crucial because wrong decisions today could have deleterious effects on millions of people tomorrow.
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.