THE OTA STORY - THE AGENCY PERSPECTIVE

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) was established by statute i n 1972. This action built on a long history in this country of interes t in examining the wider societal implications of science and technolo gy. More specifically, it followed a decade of work by (what are now c alled) the Science Committee of the House of Representatives and the L abor and Human Resources Committee of the Senate with the help of the private academic and industrial sectors, in particular the National Ac ademy of Sciences. During the ensuing 23 years, under the guidance of an equally bipartisan congressional Board, OTA evolved a structure and a process which provided analysis, information, and options to Congre ss and a reputation for nonpartisan, accurate and complete reporting. Importantly, OTA also provided, through the intense use as advisers of experts and stakeholders from the nongovernmental sector, an open int erface between many American communities and Congress. The description of the justification, history, structure, and procedures of OTA affor ds a perspective on the abrupt abolishment of the agency in the first session of the 104th Congress. A number of explanatory factors rather than a single one were likely responsible for OTA's elimination and ar e noted. The implications of abolishing OTA are also discussed. (C) 19 97 Elsevier Science Inc.