New challenge or the past revisited?: The office of technology assessment in historical context

Abstract

Recent opposition to the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) revives concerns raised when this office was first proposed. Then, as now, members of Congress were concerned that the OTA might duplicate functions of other agencies. Although the original concept of technology assessment came out of a desire to better control negative technological impacts on the environment, the most important factor in establishing the OTA was a desire on the part of Congress for technical advice independent of the executive branch. Accordingly, Congress has retained rather tight control, making the OTA more of an information agency that responds to congressional requests than an independent early-warning or technology-monitoring mechanism. As a review of its historical development can indicate, further limitations imposed on the agency would undermine the last vestiges the original assessment concept, whereas eliminating the office would have implications for future executive-legislative relations.