Science & Technology Issues Facing Congress, & More from CRS
Science and technology policy issues that may soon come before Congress were surveyed in a new report from the Congressional Research Service.
Overarching issues include the impact of recent reductions in federal spending for research and development.
“Concerns about reductions in federal R&D funding have been exacerbated by increases in the R&D investments of other nations (China, in particular); globalization of R&D and manufacturing activities; and trade deficits in advanced technology products, an area in which the United States previously ran trade surpluses. At the same time, some Members of Congress have expressed concerns about the level of federal funding in light of the current federal fiscal condition. In addition, R&D funding decisions may be affected by differing perspectives on the appropriate role of the federal government in advancing science and technology.”
See Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress, March 14, 2017.
Other new and updated reports from the Congressional Research Service include the following.
The American Health Care Act, March 14, 2017
Previewing a 2018 Farm Bill, March 15, 2017
EPA Policies Concerning Integrated Planning and Affordability of Water Infrastructure, updated March 14, 2017
National Park Service: FY2017 Appropriations and Ten-Year Trends, updated March 14, 2017
Qatar: Governance, Security, and U.S. Policy, updated March 15, 2017
Northern Ireland: Current Issues and Ongoing Challenges in the Peace Process, updated March 14, 2017
Navy LX(R) Amphibious Ship Program: Background and Issues for Congress, updated March 14, 2017
Even the best-designed policy rests on assumptions about who will staff it, how it will be funded, whether the responsible institutions have ever coordinated, and if the goals are achievable.
These fellows will be working to turn ambitious ideas into actionable policy – from improving how frontier AI models are evaluated for government use to strengthening biosecurity protections and building the workforce needed to keep AI systems safe.
The goal: help communities approach data center development with stronger negotiating tools and a clearer understanding of what’s possible.
Just as sports fanatics had plenty to celebrate this year, so does the heat policy team at FAS. In response to recent heat events, leaders across the country have taken steps to build heat resilience.