Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 86.djvu/839

 86 STAT. ]

797

PUBLIC LAW 92-484-OCT. 13, 1972

Public Law 92-484 AN ACT To establish an Office of Technology Assessment for the Congress as an aid in the identification and consideration of existing and probable impacts of technological application; to amend the National Science Foundation Act of 1950; and for other purposes.

October 13, 197 2 [H. R.10243]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representati/vea of the 'nited assembled, That this Act may AsVe'i'li'J^inf Act '' United States of America in Congress assembled', ^ oj be cited as the "Technology Assessment Act of 1972". of 1972. FINDINGS AND DECLARATION OF PURPOSE

SEC. 2. The Congress hereby finds and declares that: (a) As technology continues to change and expand rapidly, its applications are— (1) large and growing in scale; and (2) increasingly extensive, pervasive, and critical in their impact, beneficial and adverse, on ithe natural and social environment. (b) Therefore, it is essential that, to the fullest extent possible, the consequences of technological applications be anticipated, understood, and considered in determination of public policy on existing and emerging national problems, (c) The Congress further finds that: (1) the Federal agencies presently responsible directly to the Congress are not designed to provide the legislative branch with adequate and timely information, independently developed, relating to the potential impact of technological applications, and (2) the present mechanisms of the Congress do not and are not designed to provide the legislative branch with such information. (d) Accordingly, it is necessary for the Cona:ress to— (1) equip itself with new and effective means for securing competent, unbiased information concerning the physical, biological, economic, social, and political effects of such applications; and (2) utilize this information, whenever appropriate, as one factor in the legislative assessment of matters pending before the Congress, particularly in those instances where the Federal Government may be called upon to consider support for, or management or regulation of, technological applications. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY

ASSESSMENT

k)EC. 8. (a) In accordance with the findings and declaration of purpose ill section 2, there is hereby created the Office of Technology Assessment (hereinafter referred to as the "Office") which shall be within and responsible to the legislative branch of the Government. (b) The Office shall consist of a Technology Assessment Board (hereinafter referred to as the "Board") which shall formulate and promulgate the policies of the Office, and a Director who shall carry out such policies and administer the operations of the Office. (c) The basic function of the Office shall be to provide early indications of the probable beneficial and adverse impacts of the applications of technology and to develop other coordinate information which may assist the Congress. Tn carrying out such function, the Office shall: (1) identify existing or probable impacts of technology or technological programs;

Technology Assessment Board.

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