,i #aafth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ddbf ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,september #ai1 #bjai,mr4 ,takano 7for himself and ,mr4 ,foster7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,house ,administration ,a ,,bill ,to rename the ,office of ,technology ,assessment as the ,congressional ,office of ,technology1 to revise the functions and duties of the ,office1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,office of ,technology ,assessment ,improvement and ,enhancement ,act4 #b4 ,renaming of ,office of ,technology ,assessment as ,congressional ,office of ,technology 7a7 ,renaming ,section #c7;a7 of the ,technology ,assessment ,act of #aigb 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgb7;a77 is amended by striking the ,office of ,technology ,assessment and inserting the ,congressional ,office of ,technology4 7b7 ,conforming amendment ,section #e7;b7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgd7;b77 is amended by striking ,director of the ,office of ,technology ,assessment and inserting ,director of the ,congressional ,office of ,technology4 7c7 ,references in law ,any reference in any law1 rule1 or regulation to the ,office of ,technology ,assessment shall be deemed to be a reference to the ,congressional ,office of ,technology4 #c4 ,revision of functions and duties of ,office 7a7 ,basic functions and duties ,section #c7;c7 of the ,technology ,assessment ,act of #aigb 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgb7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in the matter preceding paragraph 7#a71 by inserting after the first sentence the following3 ,this information should be provided as expeditiously1 effectively1 and efficiently as possible while maintaining a forward-looking1 holistic1 and rigorous approach to the assessment of the impacts of technology42 7#b7 in paragraph 7#f71 by striking completed analyses and inserting completed analyses1 as well as preliminary findings of ongoing analyses12 7#c7 by striking and at the end of paragraph 7#g72 7#d7 by striking the period at the end of paragraph 7#h7 and inserting a semicolon2 and 7#e7 by adding at the end the following new paragraphs3 7#i7 provide information to ,members and committees of ,congress in the form of briefings1 informal conversations1 documents1 and similar formats which may be provided expeditiously on the basis of existing research and staff expertise without the need for review by the ,board2 7#aj7 provide technical assistance to ,members of ,congress on legislation related to science and technology which may be provided expeditiously on the basis of existing research and staff expertise without the need for review by the ,board2 and 7#aa7 when requested1 provide objective policy options to ,members on how ,members may achieve goals with respect to science and technology policy4 4 7b7 ,requirements for initiation of assessment activities ,section #c7;d7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgb7;d77 is amended to read as follows3 7d7 7#a7 ,assessment activities undertaken by the ,office may be initiated upon the request of-- 7,a7 subject to paragraph 7#b71 any ,member of ,congress 7including a ,delegate or ,resident ,commissioner to the ,congress71 any standing1 special1 or select committee of either ,house of ,congress1 or any joint committee of ,congress2 7,b7 the ,board2 or 7,c7 the ,director1 in consultation with the ,board4 7#b7 ,a ,member of ,congress or committee requesting that the ,office undertake an assessment activity under paragraph 7#a77;,a7 shall submit the request to the ,board1 which shall review the request4 ,the ,office shall determine whether or not to undertake an assessment activity in response to such a request in accordance with such policies and procedures as the ,office shall establish1 under which-- 7,a7 the ,office may give priority to those requests which1 in the ,board's determination1 relate to technology issues of the greatest relevance and importance2 7,b7 to the greatest extent practicable1 the ,office shall ensure that the number of assessment activities undertaken during a year in response to requests which are submitted by members of one political party is equal to the number of assessment activities undertaken in response to requests which are submitted by members of another political party2 and 7,c7 to the greatest extent practicable1 the ,office shall provide the ,member or committee submitting the request with information regarding how the ,office reached its determination in response to the request4 4 7c7 ,public availability of findings of completed analyses ,section #c7;e7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgb7;e77 is amended by inserting after may be made available to the public the following3 7and1 in the case of findings of completed analyses1 shall be made available to the public74 7d7 ,authorizing appointment of technical and professional personnel on leave from academic1 industrial1 or research institutions ,section #f7;f7 of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dge7;f77 is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence3 ,the ,director may1 under the authority provided by this subsection and in accordance with such policies as the ,board chooses to prescribe1 appoint for a limited term1 or on a temporary basis1 scientists1 engineers1 and other technical and professional personnel on leave of absence from academic1 industrial1 or research institutions to work for the ,office44 7e7 ,avoiding unnecessary duplication of research activities with other offices 7#a7 ,congressional ,research ,service ,section #h of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgg7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7e7 ,the ,office and the ,congressional ,research ,service shall coordinate technology assessment activities to avoid unnecessary duplication or overlapping of research activities4 4 7#b7 ,government ,accountability ,office ,section #i of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgh7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection3 7e7 ,the ,office and the ,government ,accountability ,office shall coordinate technology assessment activities to avoid unnecessary duplication or overlapping of research activities4 4 #d4 ,technology ,assessment ,board 7a7 ,appointment of members of ,board by ,congressional leadership ,section #d7;a7 of the ,technology ,assessment ,act of #aigb 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgc7 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking appointed by the ,president pro tempore of the ,senate and inserting appointed jointly by the ,majority ,leader and the ,minority ,leader of the ,senate2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#b71 by striking appointed by the ,speaker of the ,house of ,representatives and inserting appointed jointly by the ,speaker and ,minority ,leader of the ,house of ,representatives4 7b7 ,invitation to ,members of ,congress ,to attend annual meeting of ,technology ,assessment ,board2 annual report ,section #d of such ,act 7#b ,u4,s4,c4 #dgc7 is amended by adding at the end the following new subsections3 7e7 ,at least once during each calendar year1 the ,board shall hold a meeting at which ,members of ,congress may appear and present information to the ,board regarding any technology assessment activities the ,members may wish the ,board to undertake4 7f7 ,not later than #ij days after the end of each calendar year1 the ,board shall submit to the ,subcommittees on the ,legislative ,branch of the ,committees on ,appropriations of the ,house of ,representatives and ,senate a report on the activities of the ,office during the year1 and shall include in the report a description of the technology assessment activities undertaken by the ,office during the year1 including the number of requests received from ,members and committees of ,congress under section #b7;d77#a77;,a71 the number and type of assessment activities undertaken in response to such requests1 and the current status of such assessment activities4 4