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| Issues and Potential Recommendations |
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Science, Technology, and Government The following is a brief description of science and technology policy issues in each of the areas addressed by the Carnegie Commission. Following the issue descriptions is a summary statement of the actions recommended by those individuals who responded to the invitation to provide comments and ideas related to a potential "Carnegie+10" activity. Because this is only a compilation of ideas received from those who commented, some areas that clearly merit attention contain no recommendations. The White House and the Executive Office of the President The status and role of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the President's science advisor has changed with Administrations, as has the mechanism by which the President receives advice on science and technology issues. The degree to which these issues receive attention and influence broader policies depends directly upon the President's preferences and the resulting structure and staffing of the Office. Prior to the 1988 Presidential election, the Commission and other organizations recommended ways to enhance the role of the President's science advisor and OSTP. These included upgrading the status of the advisor to Cabinet rank, reestablishing an advisory committee to the President, filling all four of the presidentially- appointed Associate Director positions, and revitalizing mechanisms to coordinate S&T activities across federal agencies. These recommendations were implemented by the Bush I Administration and the Clinton Administration. The Bush II Administration downgraded the status of the science advisor, filled only two of the four Associate Director positions, and has instituted limited interagency coordination activities relative to his predecessors. In addition, most OSTP staff now occupy space outside of the Old Executive Office Building, where they were housed in the two previous Administrations. There is increasing concern about the "steady decline and influence of the Science Advisor and OSTP." [Skolnikoff] WH1) Maintain the Science Advisor as an Assistant to the President [Bromley] and focus on a core set of functions. [Skolnikoff] Assistant to the President status is of "enormous importance" [Bromley] in building and maintaining relationships and with others in the Executive Office of the President. Some of the key functions OSTP should focus on include: science policy, early warning of serious danger and policy difficulties, cross-agency issues of significance, standards for science and technology throughout government, promoting science competence in non-science agencies, and special studies when non-agency perspectives are needed. [Skolnicoff] WH2) Establish and take full advantage of a President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. [Bromley] PCAST played an important role in the two previous Administrations. In Bush the Council provided "direct advice to the President, unfiltered by any staff, and on occasion advice that would never have reached the President otherwise." [Bromley] However, in this Administration, and the last two, PCAST has been underutilized. In particular, it should play a more significant role in addressing global issues. [Skolnikoff] WH3) Empower the National Science and Technology Council to develop strategies and coordinate research and development activities across federal agencies. [Colwell, Schaefer] WH4) Fill all four OSTP Associate Director positions. [Bromley; Skolnikoff] The OSTP Director and the four Associates can comprise a very effective team, capable of addressing a wide range of science and technology issues. [Bromley] WH5) OSTP and OMB should establish and maintain a strong working relationship in fostering S&T programs. [Skolnikoff, Schaefer] WH6) Build S&T competency in the NSC, OMB, and Homeland Security. [Skolnikoff, Greenwood] WH7) The OSTP Director should maintain strong ties with Congress at both the member and staff levels. [Bromley] The Congress Science and technology permeate many of the issues the Congress addresses through its authorization, appropriation, and oversight responsibilities. The Commission presented a series of recommendations in the three reports it developed on this subject. These included creation of a bipartisan "Science and Technology Study Conference," enhancing the analytical capabilities of the four congressional support agencies (the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the General Accounting Office (GAO), and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), and improving the procedures for addressing S&T issues. Response to the Commission's recommendations was mixed. OTA was defunded in the mid 1990's, and the recommendation related to the Study Conference was not implemented. CN1) Reestablish an Office of Technology-like congressional support agency. [Brademas, Gibbons, Houghton, Morgan, Schaefer] Given the complexity of the issues facing Congress, an OTA-like independent congressional support agency is a necessity. Success of the new entity will depend on many factors, most notably the timeliness of its reports and insuring that minority perspectives are adequately accounted for in studies. CN2) Enhance the analytical capabilities of CRS, GAO, and CBO relative to science and technology issues. [Morgan and Peha book]. CN3) The National Academies complex should communicate more regularly and more substantively with members of Congress and their staff. [Brademas] The Judiciary The Courts are increasingly encountering cases involving complex scientific and technical issues, raising issues as to how an already over-burdened judicial system can appropriately receive and account for expert advice. In particular, environment and health-related cases are presenting unprecedented challenges to judges as they attempt grapple with the technical issues underpinning them. The Commission created a judicial reference manual that outlines a variety of techniques judges may use to help them address scientific and technical issues. In addition, a S&T research and education program was established in the Federal Judicial Center, a pilot judicial education program was developed, and initiatives have been undertaken by the American Bar Association, American Association for the Advancement of Science National Conference of Lawyers and Scientists and other organizations. Nevertheless, the judiciary continues to struggle with a large number of cases involving complex scientific and technical considerations. JD1) The scientific community should more frequently aid the courts by filing amicus curiae briefs to explain technical concepts and articulate the current state of scientific knowledge. [Breyer] JD2) The courts should more frequently make use of pretrial conferences to narrow the scientific issues under consideration, and determine whether purported scientific evidence is reliable and will further the defining of the facts of a case. [Breyer] JD3) The courts should more frequently appoint independent experts to aid the explanation of technical facts and assist in determining the validity of scientific evidence. [Breyer] The States The States must respond to the same challenges facing the federal government in the science and technology arena. Consequently, mechanisms are needed to ensure close federal-state collaboration in developing policies that involve scientific and technical considerations. In addition, the states have placed a strong emphasis on economic development programs intended to attract high-tech and other businesses. Energy/environmental issues dominate the agendas of many states, particularly in the West, and the states are struggling to respond to the plethora of technical questions associated with these issues. The Commission recommended that each governor appoint a science and technology advisor and establish an independent science and technology advisory body to guide decisions made by both the governor and the legislature. Few governors have appointed science advisors or established such committees. The high-tech boom of the 1990s resulted in notable economic advancements in a number of states; however, the recession of the past two years has diminished these gains. Energy/environmental issues will remain high on the agenda of governors and state legislators in the foreseeable future. The transition to renewable energy resources is likely to be a dominating issue over the next two decades. ST1) Continue to build capacity in the states to assess and respond to science and technology issues. [Schaefer] U.S. International Affairs S&T issues pervade international affairs as the development associated with population growth proceeds at a rapid pace. Over the past decade, issues related to energy, environment, health, agriculture, and telecommunications -- all issues with major science and technology components -- have been the focal point of the international affairs agenda. Yet the inconsistent approaches to addressing these issues that were identified by the Commission a decade ago are still apparent. In the energy and environment arena, for example, the United States remains a follower, not a leader, in the dealing with issues such as global climate change and the transition to renewable fuels. The Commission pointed to the need to clarify international responsibilities and priorities for S&T among federal agencies. It called for more leadership from the White House and Department of State in defining goals and strategies, and in marshalling agency resources to implement them. The State Department created the position of Science Advisor to the Secretary, but the individual rarely has access to the Secretary and does not participate in the daily high level discussions that shape and implement policy. Generally, science and technology issues are inadequately addressed in foreign policy because the institutional mechanisms are not in place that allow those with technical expertise to move from the periphery to the center of policy-making activities. IA1) The science advisor to the Secretary of State should be given more responsibility and his/her role should be better defined. [Skolnikoff] The science advisor to the Secretary of State should develop programs to aid the Foreign Service in addressing S&T issues, provide a connection with S&T community within and outside government, aid in addressing issues throughout the department, and be accessible to senior department officials to aid in addressing issues as needed. [Skolnikoff] IA2) The President's Science Advisor should continue to actively promote and participate in the Carnegie Group of Science Advisors to the G7 as a means to foster informal communication on scientific and technical issues. [Bromley] Global Development Cooperation between the developing and developed nations was highlighted as a major issue by the Carnegie Commission. Strong leadership from the President, greater attention to S&T issues in AID, a mechanism to foster cooperation among the public and private sectors, and coordinating international donors were among the key recommendations articulated by the Commission. A decade later, there have been signs of progress, yet the magnitude and complexity of development issues remain, and science and technology are imbedded in nearly all of these issues. Progress within the federal government in harnessing science and technology to address these issues has been limited. However, private sector activities have shown notable progress. Bringing S&T advice to developing nations is a case in point. Leaders in the developing world recognize the value of scientific and technical expertise, yet accessibility to such expertise is problematic because it resides in the affluent countries. Recently the developed nations have good made progress in making this expertise available through academies of science. GD1) Innovative approaches should be devised and implemented to build scientific and technical capacity in developing nations. [Hamburg] GD2) The National Academy of Sciences should continue to promote and participate in the new Inter Academy Council (IAC), a cooperative effort of major scientific academies throughout the world, to aid developing countries in addressing scientific and technical challenges. [Hamburg] National Security National security has been redefined over the past decade. As the threat from superpowers has declined, the threat from terrorism has increased. The U.S. has had to refocus national security and defense policies toward these new threats while continuing to dedicate resources to the spoils of the cold war, most notably, the lack of security of nuclear weapons and weapons-grade uranium. Terrorism has emerged on U.S. soil and homeland security now dominates policy debates. The large increase in the DoD budget for fiscal year 2003 is indicative on the high priority placed on these issues by the current Administration and Congress. NS1) All sectors of society should define their role in preventing deadly conflict and focus particular attention on how their capacities can be mobilized in societies where violence threatens. [Hamburg] NS2) The nation's universities and NGOs should dedicate more attention to understanding the root causes of human conflict and should play a larger role in formulating policies that promote peaceful resolution of conflicts. [Hamburg] NS3) The appropriate role of OSTP generally, and the President's Science Advisor specifically, in the area of national security should be defined more clearly. [Drell, Greenwood] NS4) Science and technology should be adequately integrated into homeland security policies and programs, and any organizational structure should work in close cooperation with OSTP. [Bromley, Greenwood] NS5) Review the recommendations of the United States Commission on National Security/21st Century (the Hart-Rudman Commission) related to a more broadly-based concept of national security. Consider these recommendations from the science and technology perspective. [Greenwood] Economic Performance and the Technology Base The development and diffusion of technologies continues to be a source of sustained economic growth. The globalization of the world economy has changed the way technologies are advanced and applied and U.S. economic policy has evolved accordingly. Although the private sector is the source of technological innovation, government policies strongly influence the direction and pace of this innovation. The Commission pointed to the key role OSTP plays in economic performance, yet the Office's influence in the White House relative to the Council of Economic Advisors is minimal. Until the science and technology policy-making capacity in the White House and federal agencies is closely linked to the economic policy-making capacity in these organizations, national economic policy will suffer. EP1) Federal programs such as the Advanced Technology Program (ATP) that facilitate technological innovation should be evaluated and enhanced to foster economic growth and international competitiveness. [Bromley] EP2) The strengths and weaknesses of intellectual property policies as they relate to innovation and economic performance should be examined, and recommendations for policy improvements should be devised and implemented. [Sarewitz] EP3) Examine the relationship between S&T and economic growth. Consider what the minimum investment in S&T should be in the public and private sectors. [Lovejoy] Math and Science Education Over the past decade educators have worked to improve the quality of math and science education through more rigorous teacher training, enhanced curricula, and the adoption of standards of learning. Despite progress, concern remains that students in the U.S. are not keeping pace with students in other industrialized countries. The Commission recommended a five-fold strategy to advance math and science education. This included improved coordination of NSF and Department of Education (DoEd) programs, expansion of the DoEd Eisenhower program in math and science, improved approaches to evaluating progress, increased support for education from federal R&D agencies, and improved curricula and teacher training. ED1) Evaluate ways to attract and retain science and math teachers at the K-12 level, including substantially higher salaries paid on a 12-month cycle. [Bromley] ED2) Foster improved technology training by providing greater financial support to the nation's two-year colleges. [Bromley] ED3) Identify ways to encourage talented American students to pursue advanced degrees in the fields of science and engineering. [Bromley] Environmental Research and Development The federal government annually makes a multi-billion investment in R&D. The effectiveness of this investment is difficult to evaluate. Questions are often raised as to whether these funds are being invested strategically and whether programs are being effectively coordinated across agencies. During the Clinton/Gore administration directing and coordinating federal programs through the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was made a high priority; however, the Bush II administration has made limited use of the NSTC. ER1: Dedicate more attention to the implementation of sound environmental policies and practices. [Baker] ER2: Programs should be advanced to educate incoming high-level political appointees about environmental policies and activities.[Baker] ER3: Approaches should be developed and implemented to more actively engage local communities and NGOs in solving environmental problems and implementing federal programs. [Baker] ER4: Examine the increasing role of the courts in resolving environmental issues and influencing federal policies and programs. [Baker] ER5: Elevate the Environmental Protection Agency to a cabinet-level department. [Baker] ER6: Foster increased collaboration between OMB and OSTP in directing and coordinating federal environmental research and development programs. [Schaefer] ER7: Examine the use of information technology and recommend ways it can be used more effectively in advancing environmental R&D programs. [Lovejoy] Regulation Over the past decade federal and state environmental, health, and safety regulatory programs have become more science based, efficient, and strategically directed. Substantial progress has been made in the cleanup of hazardous waste sites and in limiting the introduction of high risk toxic substances into the environment. However, the U.S. has not effectively controlled greenhouse gases, air pollution remains a major problem in many urban areas, and waterways throughout the country remain impaired. Air and water pollution continue to pose serious risks to human health and the environment. Rapid development of urban areas has resulted in major habitat losses, invasive species are changing the structure and function of ecosystems, and many plants and animals and ecological communities are in decline. The Commission recommended approaches to strengthening the capacity of the Executive Office of the president to develop regulatory policy and direct federal agencies toward well-defined goals. It recommended creation of a "Regulatory Coordination Committee" to advance voluntary coordination at the agency level. This recommendation was not implemented. An effort to advance risk-based priority setting led to an implementation effort that became side-tracked when proposed mandates for risk-based regulatory action were captured by a industry representatives and Members of Congress who viewed them as an opportunity to undermine regulatory progress at EPA, OSHA and other federal agencies. RG1) Support greater academic and NGO research into the strengths, weaknesses, and potential improvements in federal regulatory programs and policies, focusing in particular on incentives for greater corporate and personal responsibility in protecting the environment and conserving natural resources. [Schaefer] Nongovernmental Organizations Nongovernmental organizations play a key role in advancing science and technology and in linking them to public policy. U.S. scientists and engineers participate in the activities of a broad range of NGOs that operate nationally and internationally. These organizations have diverse agendas and have proven to be effective in influencing policy, devising strategies to meet societal needs, coordinating research and development programs, and lobbying for additional resources. The Commission recommended that the government take fuller advantage of the diverse resources of the NGO community, and suggested a number of approaches to strengthen the capacity of NGOs to address science and technology issues. NG1) Identify approaches to strengthening the capacity of NGOs to contribute to community and regional implementation of federal environmental policies and programs. [Baker, Schaefer] Government's Technical Leadership Addressing the diverse challenges facing the nation requires a fundamental understanding of science and technology. Finding and retaining people who have the necessary training and experience to deal with these issues continues to be one of the federal government's greatest challenges. In addition, too few women and minorities are attracted to the technological disciplines, limiting the pool of candidates for high level government positions. The Commission identified higher pay, streamlined ethics laws, and improved personnel policies as steps toward addressing these challenges. GT1) Devise a new national human resource policy to improve the participation of U.S. citizens in science and technology graduate and professional programs. Consider a new version of the post-Sputnick national defense education programs under a new national service rubric. [Greenwood] Long-Term Goals The benefits of linking science and technology to societal goals are self-evident, yet the scientific community struggles with ways to do so. Corporate research and development programs are directed to societal goals to some degree through the forces of consumer demand, and the President and Congress define national goals through policy and law which are reflected in federal R&D budgets. Yet the power of the scientific enterprise, perhaps classically demonstrated in the response to President Kennedy's call to put a man on the moon in an aggressive time frame, is not being directed to the degree it could be to the major long-term challenges facing our society. The idea that the private sector left to itself will respond to societal needs is flawed in that this sector is driven more by immediate and near-term demands. Identifying long-term goals requires the vision and inspiration that comes through leadership, and true leadership requires ideas that go beyond the near-term forces of consumer demand. The Commission recommended the establishment of a nongovernmental National Forum on Science and Technology Goals to facilitate the discussion of national goals and approaches to linking the S&T enterprise to them. This recommendation was not implemented. LG1) Establish an ongoing National Forum on Science and Technology Goals to facilitate the articulation of national S&T goals and ways research, development, and applications can enable their achievement. [Sarewitz, Schaefer] Federal Agencies Beyond the departments of State and Defense, the Commission did not directly address the scientific and technical capacities and issues associated with individual federal departments and agencies. A renewed Commission activity could dedicate more attention to these organizations. FA1) In light of increasingly technical responsibilities (e.g., tracing laundered money), review the technical capabilities of departments and agencies such as Treasury and the Federal Reserve Board and the agencies with which they cooperate on such matters. [Hamburg] FA2) Appoint a science advisor to the Secretary, chief scientist, or chief technical officer in all major agencies to achieve parallel capacities to address S&T issues and provide high-level agency contacts for NSTC activities. [Ausubel] (This idea goes back to J. Wiesner and has been revived, with some success, in the UK.) FA3) Evaluate the internet-related technical capacities of agencies such as the FCC. ( Back to top ) Last updated: 10.31.02 |
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