I WHAT IT IS WHAT IT DOES HOW IT WORKS ARCHIVES COpy CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES DO NOT REMOVE Office of Technology Assessment FROM LIBRARY , WASHINGTON , D. C. 20510 ----"---"-<-' ~~ OFF~~ CONGR~SS OTA is an anafytifiJb'''l Congress. Its purpose is to he unique kinds of issues that ( interdependent, high techno! The New Issues Consider, for example, the I nuclear power plants. More than United States still has no progn these wastes. Nearly all wastes tf Office of Technology Assessment amount continues to accumulate mine the future of nuclear powe Congressional Board Director's Office future. In seeking to resolve it, "state-of-the-art" concerning db Representative MORRIS K. UDALL. Arizona, Chairman JOHN H. GIBBONS, Director consider the political, economic, Senator TED STEVENS . Alaska , Vice Chairman DANIEL De SIMONE, Deputy Director of the various options for waste c and future generations. In short, Senate House intricate array of technical certair EDWARD M. KENNEDY GEORGE E. BROWN, JR . Advisory Council perceptions, political judgments Massachusetts Cali/ornia FREDERICK C. ROBBINS GILBERT GUDE cations, as it decides whether an( ERNEST F. HOLLINGS JOHN D. D1NGELL Chairman South Carolina Michigan HAZEL HENDERSON to a particular program for th JEROME B. WIESNER ADLAI E. STEVENSON LARRYWINN. JR . Vice Chairman CHARLES N. KIMBALL wastes. Illinois Kansas J. FRED BUCY J . M. LEATHERS ORRIN G. HATCH CLARENCE E MILLER Like this problem of nucle RONALD R. DAVENPORT JOHN T. McALISTER, JR. Utah Ohio issues in every area of Congressil CHARLES MeC. MATHIAS. JR . JOHN W. WYDLER JAMES C. FLETCHER ELMER B. STAATS ment, natural resources, natiOn< Mary/and New York EDWARD WENK, JR. munications, transportation, W JOHN H. GIBBONS ex officio characteristics: 1. Their most important in the isolated but the long 2. They are complex, and a broad range of inforn various fields of knowle t 3. They have a significan' resolve them adequatE ~ formation and analysis i I During the 1960's, Congres the complexity, breadth, and Ion policy decisions that were inappr 1 also found itself forced to decide quate and biased information frl agencies and "special interest" gl hearings, Congress decided to such issues. In 1972, it authoriz .WlIA- lIESS~~EiH OFF1~~~~SS O~ THE UNn~0 ~TA I ES OrA is an an~tiM!~'nnport ~geRt:y28P\"e United States Congress. Its purpose is to help Congress deal with the new and unique kinds of issues that confront our increasingly complex, interdependent, high technology society. The New .ssues Consider, for example, the question of how to manage wastes from nuclear power plants. More than three decades into the nuclear age, the United States still has no program for the safe and lasting disposal of these wastes. Nearly all wastes thus far are in temporary storage and the amount continues to accumulate. How this issue is resolved will deter­ mine the future of nuclear power and the shape of the Nation's energy future. In seeking to resolve it, the Congress must explore the entire "state-of-the-art" concerning disposal technologies and sites. It must consider the political, economic, environmental, and social implications of the various options for waste disposal and the relative risks for present and future generations. In short, Congress must examine and assess an intricate array of technical certainties and uncertainties, social values and perceptions, political judgments and tradeoffs, policy options and impli­ cations, as it decides whether and when it is "safe" to commit the country to a particular program for the permanent management of nuclear wastes. like this problem of nuclear waste, a growing number of major issues in every area of Congressional concern-such as energy, environ­ ment, natural resources, national security, health, agriculture, telecom­ munications, transportation, world trade-have three distinguishing characteristics: 1. Their most important impacts are often not the immediate and the isolated but the longer range and the more inclusive. 2. They are complex, and their analysis requires the integrating of a broad range of information and expertise that cut across the various fields of knowledge. 3. They have a significant technological content, and efforts to resolve them adequately must employ the best scientific in­ formation and analysis available. During the 1960's, Congress found that failure to take into account the complexity, breadth, and long-term implications of such issues led to policy decisions that were inappropriate, ineffective, or worse. Congress also found itself forced to decide those issues on the basis of often inade­ quate and biased information from outside sources-such as executive agencies and "special interest" groups. After a long series of studies and hearings, Congress decided to create its own capability for assessing such issues. In 1972, it authorized the establishment of OTA as a con- WHAT ~ gressional source of information and analysis that is nonpartisan, expert, objective, and anticipatory. OTA works directly witli The Task gress, which do the substan Congress as a whole. OTA's basic job is to explore complex issues involving science and technology in ways that clarify for Congress both the range of policy op­ A ••e .....ent Requests and ,. tions and the potential impacts of adopting each of those options. OTA is intended to provide Congress with early indications and analyses of According to the OT A Act, emerging technological issues. OTA does not normally recommend or made by: advocate particular policies or actions. In the words of an OT A Board • The Chairman of any con Chairman, OTA can be described as a "think tank" designed to assist the request of the ranki Congress in coping with the difficult and often highly technical issues that committee members. crowd the Nation's public agenda in the late 20th century. • The OTA Board. • The OT A Director, in con~ The Organization The OT A Board decides w~ The Board quested assessment. Once a req OTA is governed by a 12-member, bipartisan Congressional Board the proposed study to determine on which the OTA Director serves as a nonvoting member. The Board quire and what modifications it IT consists of six Senators and six Representatives, evenly divided by party and congressional needs. Follov. and appointed by the President pro tempore of the Senate and the formal study proposal to the Boal Speaker of the House, respectively. The Board elects a Chairman and basis of this proposal. Vice Chairman. The posts alternate between the Senate and House in succeeding Congresses. The Vice Chairman is a member of the minority OTA Studies and Services party. The bulk of OTA's work cen ments that may take a year or n The Advl.ory Council vides a wide range of shorter, ql The Board is aided by an Advisory Council made up of 10 public sional needs. Working with the members eminent in science, technology, and education, who are ap­ mittees, OTA tries to tailor all pointed by the Board. The Comptroller General of the United States and schedules. the Director of the Congressional Research Service of the Library of OTA's rapid responses to cc Congress are ex officio members. The Council advises the Board on edge base built up through past OTA assessments and other matters. asked, for example, to evaluate \ conservation by draWing on tl The Director and Deputy Director studies of energy conservation The Director, who is appointed by the Board, has full authority and topical "spinoffs" from assessme responsibility for organizing and managing OTA's resources according to the prospects for gasohol prepar~ the overall policies set by the Board. The Deputy Director is appointed ing the course of a larger asse by the Director with the approval of the Board. energy from biological processes assessments so that the results, i The Staff gress in the form of interim report OTA has a relatively small, in-house staff of 80 to 90 professionals In addition, OT A proVides a whose skills span the spectrum of the physical and social sciences, engi­ presents testimony at hearings, I neering, the biological and environmental sciences, political science, tees. medicine, law, and public administration. WHAT OTA DOES It is nonpartisan, expert, orA works directly with and for the committees of Con­ gress, which do the substantive spadework on legislation for Congress as a whole. ~s involving science and 1 the range of policy op­ Assessment Requests and Approvals of those options. OTA is ;ations and analyses of According to the OTA Act, requests for OTA assessments may be lOrmally recommend or made by: lords of an OT A Board • The Chairman of any congressional committee acting alone or at tank" designed to assist the request of the ranking minority member or of a majority of 3hly technical issues that committee members. century. • The OTA Board. • The OT A Director, in consultation with the Board. The OTA Board decides whether or not OTA will undertake a re­ quested assessment. Once a request is received, the OTA staff screens an Congressional Board the proposed study to determine what resources and time it might re­ ng member. The Board quire and what modifications it might need to suit both OTA's resources evenly divided by party and congressional needs. Following this screening, the staff presents a of the Senate and the formal study proposal to the Board. The Board makes its decision on the I elects a Chairman and basis of this proposal. Ie Senate and House in member of the minority OTA Studies and Services The bulk of OTA's work centers on comprehensive, indepth assess­ ments that may take a year or more to complete. The Office also pro­ vides a wide range of shorter, qUicker responses to immediate congres­ :il made up of 10 public sional needs.