Science and technology under constitutional separation of powers

Abstract

Under the US Constitution, three bodies share equal authority for governance — the Executive, the Congress, and the Judiciary. Unlike parliamentary governments or authoritarian regimes, the President and the presidential advisors are but one element in the equation that determines US policy. More often than not in the last 23 years, the President's party has been the minority party in Congress. Focussing attention solely on the Office of the President, as has been the tendency, ignores the reality that the Congress continues to be a major force for framing US policy for science and technology. Congress has a workable analytical and advisory system for science and technology policy that meets its institutional needs. The executive branch, on the other hand, is still grappling with how factual, responsible, neutral analysis and advice can be effectively used in the politically charged atmosphere of the White House, where issues of science and technology often take a backseat to economic, political, and idealogical considerations.