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WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1994.

OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

WITNESSES

HON. EDWARD M. KENNEDY, CHAIRMAN, TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BOARD

HON. DON SUNDQUIST, VICE CHAIRMAN, TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
BOARD

HON. GEORGE E. BROWN, JR., TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BOARD
HON. JOHN D. DINGELL, TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BOARD
HON. AMO HOUGHTON, TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BOARD
HON. MICHAEL G. OXLEY, TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT BOARD
ROGER C. HERDMAN, DIRECTOR, OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESS-
MENT

PETER BLAIR, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR INDUSTRY, COMMERCE
AND INTERNATIONAL SECURITY

CLYDE BEHNEY, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR FOR HEALTH, LIFE SCIENCE
AND THE ENVIRONMENT

JAMES JENSEN, DIRECTOR OF CONGRESSIONAL AFFAIRS
JACK BOERTLEIN, BUDGET AND FINANCE OFFICER

OPENING REMARKS

Mr. FAZIO. We will convene this session of the Legislative Branch Subcommittee and consider the budget for fiscal year 1995 of the Office of Technology Assessment.

Senator Ted Kennedy is Chairman of the OTA Board. Congressman Don Sundquist, our friend and colleague, is Vice Chairman. We have a number of other members of the board. Hopefully some others will be joining us.

The Honorable Amo Houghton is here. If you want to sit with Dr. Herdman and, to the extent you wish, to place your remarks on the record, that would be in order. But we would love to hear whatever you want to bring.

REMARKS OF MR. HOUGHTON

Mr. HOUGHTON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I do have a couple of comments that I would like to submit for the record. But maybe if I could just say a few words about the OTA. I guess I always try to start support for a budget by saying I am basically a financial curmudgeon and like to keep things under control as much as possible. I do happen to believe in this particular function, and there are a couple of reasons that I think OTA's budget submission this year is important.

For fiscal year 1995, they are talking about a budget of $22 million, up about $700,000, which is a 3.4 percent increase. So just to put that in perspective of the 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 legislative branch support agencies, that is the smallest increase. So that is

number one. So when you are taking a look at the figure, unless you are going to freeze everything, it looks reasonable.

Another reason that I think OTA is important is that you have a guy who has come up through the ranks. It is symbolic to a number of people around here, and I don't think that we want to cut the legs out from under him, at least not this year.

Mr. FAZIO. We may break a leg or two.

Mr. HOUGHTON. Wait a minute. We are right in the middle of the Olympics things. We don't want to do that.

I think that in hearing Roger and hearing some of the things he is talking about, he is really trying to make financial sense out of this agency. It is an important one. And it is an important thrust. It is not that his predecessor, who was a fabulous guy, didn't try to do this; but a new head comes in, and they have different ideas that have been percolating around. And I think that Roger is doing a very good job financially.

I think the third thing is that there are waves in science that come along, and I think_this happens to be one. Despite the fact that I am Republican, I totally agree with the Vice President's thrust in terms of this super information highway, and a variety of other things like that.

OTA has done real work in this area. It has put this whole thing into perspective. I happen to believe that the alerting of Congress to some of the important scientific endeavors that must be funded, must be supported, it is an industrial policy. It really sort of points out those things that are important being done by this group, and really by none other.

Therefore, Mr. Chairman, I just think what they propose here, the people they have, the thrust they are making, the times in which they are making it, are all appropriate; and, therefore, I would like to support this request.

[The statement of Mr. Houghton follows:]

Statement by Amo Houghton

before the

Subcommittee on Legislative Appropriations

February 2, 1994

Mr. Chairman, members of the Committee, thank you for this opportunity to appear before you today in support of the Fiscal Year 1995 budget request of the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). As you may be aware, in a previous life I was a

businessman much involved with the generation of new science and its application in the workplace. I believe deeply in the mission of OTA and its ability to nudge the technical mission of Congress.

This past year we have passed the torch of OTA's leadership to Roger Herdman. It is no secret that Roger has done a fine job in his new assignment.

As

If you would permit me, I would like to highlight some of OTA's recent work that improves the quality of education, training, telecommunications, materials and many other areas which help prepare us to compete better in the world marketplace. you know, Mr. Chairman, such issues are not only complicated, but also controversial. OTA's objectivity helps us shed light on these complex issues. Let me give you an example:

OTA's assessment of rural telecommunications, Rural America at the Crossroads; Networking for the Future, is one of my favorites. It offers a view of the promise as well as the problems of implementing advanced telecommunications in rural areas for the sole purpose of reducing the barriers of distance that often put such areas at a disadvantage. We have used this report as a blueprint for economic development efforts in our rural upstate New York district.

OTA has not only been at the cutting edge of research but has demonstrated a commitment to educate. Last year's Forum on Technology and Governance in the 1990s was a testament to OTA's credibility. World leaders, distinguished statesmen and top-flight educators shared their wisdom with communities, such as mine, in upstate New York through the television program C-Span.

Few of us are scientists, yet we need scientific understanding to do our jobs. OTA continues to deliver impartial, nonpolitical analyses to assist in Congressional oversight and consideration of legislation. One of the agency's greatest assets is its ability to provide the long view. Where might technology take us? What kind of education and training will be necessary for our working people?

So, to sum up, Mr. Chairman, OTA is a government

organization that works. It has and continues to prove its worth. I urge you to approve its budget request for Fiscal Year 1995. Thank you.

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