深度-哈佛肯尼迪学院-给美国决策者参考的现代高新科技评估和行动手册（英文）-2021.6-60页_3mb

Summary of Building a 21st Century Congress: A Playbook for Modern Technology Assessment

Core Content

This report, Building a 21st Century Congress: A Playbook for Modern Technology Assessment, outlines the importance of technology assessment in the legislative and executive branches of the U.S. government. It emphasizes that as emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and synthetic biology continue to evolve, the U.S. must improve its capacity to understand and respond to their societal implications. The report argues that current mechanisms for technology assessment are insufficient and proposes structural and procedural reforms to enhance the effectiveness of Congress and the Biden Administration in addressing these challenges.

Main Views

• Technology assessment is a critical process for evaluating the societal impacts of emerging technologies and informing policy decisions.
• The 117th Congress and the Biden Administration must prioritize technology assessment to better anticipate and manage future crises and technological developments.
• A superficial understanding of technology and its implications is inadequate for timely and informed policymaking.
• Technology assessment should be process-oriented, not outcome-driven, and should provide policy options, not definitive answers.

Key Pillars of Effective Technology Assessment

The report identifies four essential pillars that should guide technology assessment efforts:

1. Strong Governance

   • Ensures continuity and institutional stability.
   • Combines a permanent standing body with short-term advisory groups.
   • Allows for long-term strategic planning and adaptability.

2. Responsive to Consumer Needs

   • Assessments should be driven by the needs of the end users and impacted communities.
   • While reactive assessments are important, foresight is also necessary to identify potential future issues.

3. Draw on Expertise from Within and Outside Government

   • Involving both internal and external experts enhances the credibility and depth of assessments.
   • Non-technical experts (e.g., ethicists, sociologists, legal professionals) are essential for understanding broader societal implications.

4. Offer Policy Options, Not Answers

   • Technology assessments should provide policymakers with a range of options rather than recommending a single solution.
   • This allows elected officials to make decisions based on comprehensive analysis and constituent values.

Considerations for the 117th Congress and Biden Administration

The report highlights the need for both Congress and the EOP to strengthen their technology assessment capabilities. It suggests several actions to improve the capacity and effectiveness of technology assessment:

Institutional Support Gap

• Congress lacks a dedicated support body for science and technology (S&T) issues.
• Recommendation: Create a Congressional Support Agency embedded within Congress to provide objective, in-house consultation.

S&T Talent Gap

• There is a need for more diverse and qualified S&T talent in Congress.
• Recommendations:
  • Develop pathways for undergraduate S&T students to work on Capitol Hill.
  • Create mid-career pathways for S&T experts to join Congress.
  • Expand policy training for S&T professionals to prepare them for congressional roles.

Internal Resourcing Gap

• Congress is underfunded, limiting its ability to hire and retain skilled staff.
• Recommendation: Increase budget allocation to Congress to hire more staff and improve working conditions.

External Resources Gap

• While Congress is considered the "most advised body in the world," the advice is often not tailored or timely.
• Recommendations:
  • Encourage customized, concise, and timely S&T information from external providers.
  • Build long-term relationships between external experts and congressional offices.

Additional STEM Expertise

• Congress needs rapid-response STEM capacity to address emerging technology issues quickly.
• It should also enhance STEM expertise within personal offices and on committees to support more nuanced and informed policy discussions.

Conclusion

• The report calls for a recommitment to technology assessment as a foundational practice for 21st-century governance.
• It argues that without such capacity, Congress may fail to address the complex challenges posed by emerging technologies.
• The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA), which was defunded in 1996, could have significantly influenced policy outcomes over the past 25 years.
• The Biden Administration is also urged to continue investing in STEM expertise to support informed policymaking and lead the implementation of technology-related reforms.

Recommendations

• Build on existing programs to improve efficiency and impact.
• Create new institutions to house and support STEM talent in policy roles.
• Expand university pathways to train the next generation of policy advisors.
• Develop short-term 'tour of duty' roles to bring in temporary STEM experts.
• Establish vetted talent pools to provide a reliable source of qualified candidates.
• Increase overall investment in Congress’s capacity to support S&T policy work.

This report serves as a comprehensive guide for enhancing the role of technology assessment in shaping U.S. policy for the future.