The basic structures and procedures of science and technology policymaking are presented in detail in a new report from the Congressional Research Service. See “Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer” (pdf), April 18, 2008.
Other noteworthy new reports from the Congressional Research Service that have not been made readily available online include the following (all pdf).
“Information Security and Data Breach Notification Safeguards,” updated April 3, 2008.
“Congressional Oversight of Intelligence: Current Structure and Alternatives,” updated April 1, 2008.
“Data Mining and Homeland Security: An Overview,” updated April 3, 2008.
“Security Implications of Taiwan’s Presidential Election of March 2008,” April 4, 2008.
No one will be surprised if we end up with a continuing resolution to push our shutdown deadline out past the midterms, so the real question is what else will they get done this summer?
Rebuilding public participation starts with something simple — treating the public not as a problem to manage, but as a source of ingenuity government cannot function without.
If the government wants a system of learning and adaptation that improves results in real time, it has to treat translation, utilization, and adaptation as core functions of governance rather than as afterthoughts.
Coordination among federal science agencies is essential to ensure government-wide alignment on R&D investment priorities. However, the federal R&D enterprise suffers from egregious siloization.