The President's Office of Science and Technology Policy: Issues for Congress







Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress



Congress established the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) through the National
Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-282). The act
states that “The primary function of the OSTP Director is to provide, within the Executive Office
of the President [EOP], advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of issues
that require attention at the highest level of Government.” Further, “The Office shall serve as a
source of scientific and technological analysis and judgment for the President with respect to
major policies, plans, and programs of the Federal Government.”
The OSTP Director also manages the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC),
established by Executive Order 12881, which coordinates science and technology (S&T) policy
across the federal government, establishes national goals for federal S&T investments, and
prepares coordinated research and development (R&D) strategies. In addition, the OSTP Director
co-chairs the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), established
by Executive Order 13226. The OSTP Director also plays a role in the communication of
scientific and technical information by federal agency scientists and engineers.
An issue for Congress is what should be the appropriate title, rank, role, and responsibilities of
OSTP’s Director. Some in the science and technology (S&T) community contend that by
providing the OSTP Director with cabinet rank, or the title of Assistant to the President, the
individual in that office would have more influence within the EOP. Others have proposed that
several individuals take on the roles and responsibilities of the OSTP Director rather than one
individual, and that the OSTP Director play a greater role in ensuring federal agency scientists
and engineers are able to communicate their findings. Further, some in the S&T community also
believe that the OSTP Director and NSTC should play a greater role in federal agency
coordination, priority-setting, and budget allocation. Another question is who should decide the
issue focus of OSTP Associate Directors, NSTC interagency coordination activities, and PCAST.
Congress may consider several legislative options regarding OSTP. First, it may wish to allow the
President to have autonomy over OSTP. Currently, the President maintains discretion over the
policies, structure, and personnel of OSTP, NSTC, and PCAST, often through executive orders.
Second, Congress may wish to evaluate whether or not OSTP is still needed within the EOP. If so,
Congress can continue its current OSTP legislative guidance mechanisms, or it can increase the
intensity with which it applies those mechanisms. Congress annually evaluates OSTP through the
regular authorization and appropriations process, and introduces issue-specific bills that identify
actions and issues on which Members of Congress believe OSTP should focus. An alternative is
for Congress to increase the intensity of its evaluation by holding oversight hearings on OSTP, or
by amending OSTP’s authorization statute. When Congress evaluates the various policy options,
a factor to consider is that the OSTP Director’s influence in the EOP may depend more on the
relationship between whomever is appointed to that position and the President than legislative
action.
On December 20, 2008, President-elect Obama stated his intention to appoint Dr. John Holdren as
Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), OSTP Director, and Co-Chair of
PCAST, and that “promoting science isn’t just about providing resources—it’s about protecting
free and open inquiry.” He also indicated his intention to appoint Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric
Lander as the other co-chairs of PCAST.






Histor y ............................................................................................................................................. 7
Overvi ew ....................................................................................................................... .................. 9
Role of OSTP Director..............................................................................................................9
Presidential Appointment Status and Congress................................................................10
Roles and Responsibilities................................................................................................10
Relationship with Other Agencies.....................................................................................11
National Science and Technology Council..............................................................................11
President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.................................................13
OSTP Budget and Staffing......................................................................................................14
Issues for Congress........................................................................................................................17
Title, Rank, Roles, and Responsibilities of OSTP Director....................................................18
Title and Rank...................................................................................................................18
Roles and Responsibilities................................................................................................20
Number and Issue Focus of OSTP Associate Directors..........................................................21
Sufficiency of OSTP Budget and Staffing...............................................................................22
OSTP and NSTC Participation in Federal Agency Coordination, Priority-Setting, and
Budget Allocation................................................................................................................23
Past Congressional Activities............................................................................................23
Role of OSTP Director......................................................................................................24
Role of NSTC...................................................................................................................24
OSTP Role in the Communication of Scientific and Technical Information by Federal
Agency Scientists and Engineers.........................................................................................25
Stature and Influence of PCAST.............................................................................................27
Options for Congress.....................................................................................................................28
Allow President Autonomy Over OSTP.................................................................................29
Reevaluate Need for OSTP in the EOP...................................................................................29
Continue Current OSTP Legislative Guidance Mechanisms..................................................30
Increase Intensity of OSTP Oversight Mechanisms................................................................30
Policy Option Considerations.................................................................................................31
Figure 1. Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Organization.....................................7
Figure 2. National Science and Technology Council Committees................................................14
Figure 3. OSTP Funding, FY1977-FY2008..................................................................................16
Figure 4. OSTP Staffing Level, FY1977-2008..............................................................................16
Figure 5. OSTP Political and Non-Political Staff, Detailees, and Fellows, FY1998-
FY2008 ....................................................................................................................................... 17





Table A-1. President’s Science and Technology Policy Advisers, Executive Office of the
President Agency, Interagency Coordination Organization, and Advisory Committee,
1941-2008................................................................................................................................... 32
Appendix. President’s Science and Technology Policy Advisers..................................................32
Author Contact Information..........................................................................................................36





ongress established the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), including the
position of its Director, within the Executive Office of the President (EOP) through the
National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (P.L. 1C


94-282). The act states that “The Office shall serve as a source of scientific and technological
analysis and judgment for the President with respect to major policies, plans, and programs of the
Federal Government.”
In addition, the act establishes the position of the OSTP director. According to the act, “The
primary function of the OSTP Director is to provide, within the Executive Office of the President,
advice on the scientific, engineering, and technological aspects of issues that require attention at
the highest level of Government.” The OSTP Director also manages the National Science and 2
Technology Council (NSTC), established by Executive Order 12881, which coordinates science
and technology (S&T) policy across the federal government, establishes national goals for federal
S&T investments, and prepares coordinated research and development (R&D) strategies. In
addition, the OSTP Director co-chairs the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and 3
Technology (PCAST), established by Executive Order 13226. (See Figure 1.)
The role and influence of OSTP, NSTC, PCAST, and its predecessor organizations have varied
among Administrations, depending both on the President and the individual serving as OSTP 4
Director. Unlike the heads of some other EOP agencies, the OSTP Director testifies before
congressional committees, even though the office provides advice and assistance to the White 5
House.
On December 20, 2008, President-elect Obama stated his intention to appoint Dr. John Holdren as
Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (APST), OSTP Director, and Co-Chair of
PCAST, and that “promoting science isn’t just about providing resources—it’s about protecting free
and open inquiry. It’s about ensuring that facts and evidence are never twisted or obscured by politics
or ideology. It’s about listening to what our scientists have to say, even when it’s inconvenient—
especially when it’s inconvenient. Because the highest purpose of science is the search for knowledge,
truth and a greater understanding of the world around us. That will be my goal as President of the 6
United States.”

1 On November 12, 2008, CRS hosted a seminar entitled “The Role of the President's Office of Science and
Technology Policy, with outside experts providing different perspectives on OSTP. A video of this seminar is
available at [http://www.crs.gov/products/multimedia/MM70117.shtml].
2 Executive Order 12881, “Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council,” 58 Federal Register 226,
November 23, 1993, pp. 62491 at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12881.pdf. Note that
the National Archives website at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/disposition.html provides
the disposition of all executive orders.
3 Executive Order 13226, “President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 66 Federal Register 192,
October 3, 2001, pp. 50523-52524 at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/
getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=fr03oc01-141.pdf.
4 For a discussion of the degree to which Science Advisers have been influential, listen to National Public Radio, The
Evolving Role of the Presidential Science Advisor, Talk of the Nation, November 16, 2007, at http://www.npr.org/
templates/story/story.php?storyId=16343713.
5 For more information, CRS Report 98-606, The Executive Office of the President: An Historical Overview, by Harold
C. Relyea; and CRS Report RL31351, Presidential Advisers’ Testimony Before Congressional Committees: An
Overview, by Harold C. Relyea and Todd B. Tatelman.
6 Dave Rochelson ,“The search for knowledge, truth and a greater understanding of the world around us,” Change.gov:
The Office of the President-Elect, website, December 20, 2008 at http://change.gov/newsroom/entry/
the_search_for_knowledge_truth_and_a_greater_understanding_of_the_world_aro/.



He also indicated his intention to appoint Dr. Harold Varmus and Dr. Eric Lander as the other co-
chairs of PCAST, with the hope that PCAST will be “a vigorous external advisory council that
will shape my thinking on the scientific aspects of my policy priorities.”
This report will provide an overview of the history of science and technology advice to the
President, and provide an overview and discuss issues and options for Congress regarding
OSTP’s Director, OSTP management and operations, PCAST, and NSTC.
Figure 1. Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Organization
PRESIDENT
Presidents Council of Advisors on National Science &
OSTP DirectorScience & TechnologyTechnology Council
(PCAST)(NSTC)
Chief of Staff& General CounselAssociate Director andDeputy Director for Associate Director andDeputy Director for
Senior DirectorHomeland & ScienceSenior DirectorTechnologySenior Director
National SecurityScienceTechnology
Assistant DirectorHomeland SecurityAssistant DirectorNational SecurityAssistant DirectorSpace Assistant DirectorTelecom Assistant DirectorLife SciencesAssistant DirectorEnvironment
& Aeronautics& Information Tech
Assistant Director
Assistant DirectorTechnology R&DAssistant DirectorPhysical Sciences Assistant DirectorEducation National Security Emergency
& Engineering& Social SciencePreparedness
Legal affairsAdministrationBudget
FUNCTIONALADMINISTRATIVELegislative affairsBudget analysisOffice Support
STAFFSTAFF CommunicationsComputing
Security
Source: Office of Science and Technology Policy, website, accessed October 30, 2008 at http://www.ostp.gov/
galleries/default-file/OSTP%20org%20charts%2010-15-08.pdf.

Science and technology policy issues tend to reach the Presidential level if they involve multiple
agencies; have budgetary, economic, national security, or foreign policy dimensions; or are highly
visible to the public. In recent years, ethical issues, such as federal funding of stem cell research,
have also reached this level of attention.





Throughout U.S. history, Presidents have obtained S&T advice through federal scientists and 7
engineers, or informal personal contacts. Since the early 1930s, Presidents have attempted to
expand their sources of science and technology advice through a series of advisory boards and
committees. These boards and committees tend to remain for discrete periods of time before
being disbanded, often by the next President. When again faced with the need for S&T advice,
new advisory boards or committees, sometimes reconstituted from previously disbanded ones,
would be formed.
During the period between World War I and through World War II, the role of the application of
research to provide technology for both military and economic purposes became evident. As a
result, President Franklin D. Roosevelt established the Office of Scientific Research and
Development (OSRD) in 1941. Following World War II, the utility of science and technology to
society as exhibited during the War was crystallized in Science, the Endless Frontier, a 1945
report by Vannevar Bush, OSRD director. This report, which proposed a “program for postwar
scientific research,” set the stage for today’s view of the relationship between the federal
government and the S&T community regarding policy for science. In his report, Bush indicated
that scientific progress was essential for the war against disease, for national security, and for the
public welfare.
As shown in the, the next several Presidents used a variety of mechanisms to obtain S&T advice
within the EOP, to enhance interagency coordination, and to receive counsel from outside
advisors. Organizations within the EOP included the Office of the Special Assistant to the
President for Science and Technology (Eisenhower), and Office of Science and Technology (OST;
Kennedy, Johnson). Examples of organizations focused on interagency coordination included the
President’s Scientific Research Board (Truman), and the Federal Council for Science and
Technology (Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson). Examples of external advisory committees are the
Science Advisory Committee (Truman, Eisenhower), and the President’s Science Advisory
Committee (PSAC; Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson).
During the Nixon Administration, the S&T policy office in the White House, OST, was abolished,
and relocated within NSF. In addition, President Nixon decided to not appoint new members to
PSAC after its members resigned. President Ford supported the return of a science advisory
mechanism to the White House, but he wished to establish it through legislation, not executive 8
order. He signed the National Science and Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of
1976 (P.L. 94-282) into law on May 11, 1976. This act established the position of OSTP and
OSTP Director.
The Appendix provides a historical compilation of Presidential S&T policy advisers with their 9
titles, EOP S&T agencies, interagency coordination organizations, and advisory committees. As
illustrated in the Table, the Presidents that followed President Ford continued to adapt OSTP and

7 For an overview of science and technology policy, see CRS Report RL34454, Science and Technology Policymaking:
A Primer, by Deborah D. Stine. For a history of OSTP, see Genevieve J. Knezo, “Science and Technology, Chapter 6
in Harold C. Relyea (ed.), The Executive Office of the President: A Historical, Biographical, and Bibliographical
Guide (Westport, Connecticut: Greenwood Press, 1997).
8 Jeffrey K. Stine, A History of Science Policy in the United States, 1940-1985, Report for the House Committee on
Science and Technology Task Force on Science Policy, 99th Cong., 2nd sess., Committee Print (Washington, DC: GPO,
1986), available at http://ia341018.us.archive.org/2/items/historyofscience00unit/historyofscience00unit.pdf.
9 More S&T policy history is available CRS Report RL34454, Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer, by
Deborah D. Stine.





its related organizations to suit their needs. For example, the act included provisions for the OSTP
Director to chair an Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and Technology Advisory Panel
(ISETAP). The ISETAP has since been subsumed by a cabinet-level council within the executive
branch, NSTC, which is officially chaired by the President and managed by the OSTP Director. In
addition, P.L. 94-282 also established a President’s Committee on Science and Technology
(PCST) with the OSTP Director as a member. The PCST was subsumed by PCAST with the 10
OSTP Director as a co-chair.

The OSTP summarizes its major objectives as follows:
• Advise the President and others within the Executive Office of the President on 11
the impacts of science and technology on domestic and international affairs;
• Lead an interagency effort to develop and implement sound science and
technology policies and budgets;
• Work with the private sector to ensure Federal investments in science and
technology contribute to economic prosperity, environmental quality, and
national security;
• Build strong partnerships among federal, state, and local governments, other
countries, and the scientific community; and
• Evaluate the scale, quality, and effectiveness of the Federal effort in science and 12
technology.
• The following sections provide an overview of the responsibilities and roles of
the OSTP Director, NSTC, and PCAST. Information is also provided on OSTP’s
budget and staffing.
The OSTP Director serves as a two-way communication conduit between the EOP and the federal
and non-federal S&T community. Some OSTP Directors have focused on their role of
communicating the views of the S&T community to the EOP. Others have focused on
communicating the views of the EOP to the S&T community.
P.L. 94-282 authorizes the position of OSTP Director and places that individual at Level II on the
executive pay scale. The OSTP Director is not a member of the Cabinet. The OSTP Director and 13
up to four Associate Directors are appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The

10 PCAST was established by Executive Order 13226,President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology,
66 Federal Register 192, October 3, 2001, pp. 50523-52524 at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/
getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=fr03oc01-141.pdf.
11 For more information on this topic, see CRS Report RL34503, Science, Technology, and American Diplomacy:
Background and Issues for Congress, by Deborah D. Stine.
12 OSTP, “What We Do,” webpage at http://www.ostp.gov/cs/about_ostp.
13 The number of Associate Directors has varied. Throughout the Bush Administration, there were two Associate
Directors: one focused on science and the other on technology.





OSTP Director also holds the traditional title of Science Adviser to the President. Presidents have
sometimes granted the science adviser the additional title of Assistant to the President for Science
and Technology (APST) or Special Assistant to the President.
These titles may influence the degree of access the science adviser has to the President and EOP
decision making. (See Appendix for a historical overview of science advisers and their titles.)
Although each President differs in how he has managed EOP staff, generally a presumption of 14
access to the President is accorded to Cabinet members and assistants to the President. Those
who hold other titles, such as the Director of an EOP office or a special assistant to the President,
are presumed to have less access.
The relationship between Congress and the OSTP Director and APST varies depending on the
nature of the appointment. If an individual serves only as APST, then no Senate confirmation is
required. However, Congress does confirm the individual the President nominates to be OSTP
Director. While the OSTP Director can be required to testify before Congress, APSTs may decline
requests that they testify, indicating that, as an assistant to the President, they would not testify 15
due to separation of powers and/or executive privilege. Some Members of Congress may
believe it is important to have oversight over whom is appointed as the president’s science
adviser, and to have an option of hearing testimony from the individual serving in that role.
Others may believe that the role of OSTP Director or APST is sufficiently minor that they feel no
need to have oversight over that position, and that they have other sources from which they may
obtain S&T information.
Historically, the OSTP Director advises the President on policy formulation; presidential
appointments; S&T-related budget issues, including research and development (R&D) and
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education; and the policy 16
significance of scientific and technical developments. As OSTP Director and NSTC manager,
this individual can provide federal agency coordination, information, and guidance when special
events occur, such as national emergencies, disasters, or S&T-related international negotiations.
As co-chair of PCAST, the OSTP Director can gather and identify the consensus of the S&T
community on issues of interest to the Administration.
Under Executive Order 12472, the OSTP Director performs some special roles regarding National 17
Security Emergency Preparedness communications. First, the OSTP Director is designated to

14 Information on the President’s cabinet is available at http://www.whitehouse.gov/government/cabinet.html.
15 For a fuller discussion of this issue, see CRS Report RL31351, Presidential Advisers’ Testimony Before
Congressional Committees: An Overview, by Harold C. Relyea and Todd B. Tatelman.
16 Based on Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, Science & Technology and the President
(New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York, October 1988); National Academies, Science and Technology Advice
in the White House: Recommendations for President-Elect George Bush (Washington, DC: National Academy Press,
1988); and National Academies, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Science and Technology for
Americas Progress: Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments in the New Administration (Washington, DC:
National Academy Press, 2008) at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12481.
17 Executive Order 12472, “Assignment of National Security and Emergency Preparedness Telecommunications
(continued...)





exercise most of the President’s wartime communications powers under Section 706 of the 18
Communications Act (47 U.S.C. 151 et seq.). As a result, to perform these special
Presidentially-delegated functions, a Presidentially-appointed Senate-confirmed appointee should 19
be in charge of OSTP at all times. Second, under Executive Order 12472, the OSTP Director
also exercises several non-wartime emergency telecommunications functions, and leads the
interagency Joint Telecommunications Resources Board (JTRB). The JTRB provides a forum for
top-level discussions of emergency communications issues during times of crisis. In the wake of
the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, OSTP Director John Marburger designated one civil 20
service staff member to provide continuity on these issues across Presidential Administrations.
The OSTP Director does not have direct authority over federal agencies or the Office of
Management and Budget (OMB). Rather, the OSTP Director uses his or her role as a “bully
pulpit” to encourage federal agencies, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and others in
the S&T community to take or stop taking actions that the Administration supports or opposes.
Box 1 below provides an overview of the OSTP Director’s role in the budget process and that
individual’s interaction with OMB.
On November 23, 1993, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established
by Executive Order 12881 to coordinate science and technology policy across the federal 21
government. According to the executive order, NSTC is to coordinate the S&T policy-making
process; ensure science and technology policy decisions and programs are consistent with the
President’s stated goals; help integrate the President’s S&T policy agenda across the federal
government; ensure S&T is considered in the development and implementation of federal policies
and programs; and further international S&T cooperation.
In contrast to its predecessor, the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and
Technology (FCCSET), which was chaired by the OSTP Director, the NSTC is chaired by the
President. Many of the NSTC members are cabinet officials. In practice, the NSTC has rarely had 22
a meeting with the President or cabinet-level officials present. Rather, OSTP staff and detailees
manage NSTC activities in conjunction with federal agency staff.

(...continued)
Functions,” April 3, 1984, at http://www.ncs.gov/library/policy_docs/eo_12472.html.
18 Under the Communications Act, commercial telecommunications companies can be directed to perform specific
functions on behalf of the government, such as providing priority services.
19 There is an exception that occurs when an official is serving as the Acting Director through a Presidentially-approved
succession order.
20 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, November 6, 2008.
21 Executive Order 12881, “Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council,” 58 Federal Register 226,
November 23, 1993, pp. 62491 at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12881.pdf. The
executive order also states that NSTC oversees the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and
Technology (FCCSET), the National Space Council, and the National Critical Materials Council, none of which have
been active since the NSTC was created.
22 A detail is an officially approved temporary assignment of a civil service employee (called informally a “detailee”) to
a different position in another federal agency. The employees official title, series, grade, rate of compensation, or
(continued...)





Currently, the NSTC has four primary committees: Science; Technology; Environment and
Natural Resources; and Homeland and National Security. As shown in Figure 2, each NSTC
committee has subcommittees, interagency working groups, or taskforces focused on specialized
topics. The membership of these committees and subcommittees are generally not cabinet
officials, but instead lower ranking staff.
Box 1. OSTP Participation in the Federal Budget Process
In 2008 congressional testimony, Bush Administration OSTP Director John H. Marburger III described how OSTP
participates in the federal budget process. The budget process involves four basic steps: (1) overall priority setting by
OSTP and OMB, (2) agency preparation of budget proposal to OMB, (3) agency negotiations with OMB, and (4) final
budget decision by the President and OMB Director.
A key activity in the first step is OSTP’s request to federal agencies for their recommendations on R&D priorities. In
addition, interagency working groups meet to determine which agencies will be responsible for certain activities
where multiple agencies may be responsible for a given issue area. This information is used as the basis for an OSTP
and OMB joint memorandum that described the Administration’s R&D priorities and R&D investment criteria.
Agencies are to use this memorandum as an aid in their preparation of the President’s budget.
The Bush Administration also had fundamental principles that it followed in deciding whether or not to fund
programs. For example, the Administration believed that the federal government should fund basic research, while
applied research and development may be more appropriately funded by industry. These principles influenced what
programs the Administration was willing to fund. (For a discussion of this issue, see
CRS Report RL33528, Industrial Competitiveness and Technological Advancement: Debate Over Government Policy, by
Wendy H. Schacht.)
During the second step, agencies prepare their budgets. The OSTP did not review agency budgets before they were
sent to OMB but did continually interact with the agencies, providing advice and working with them on their
priorities. During the Bush Administration, OSTP gave less attention to the National Institutes of Health and the
Department of Energy, as it viewed this research as being totally within an agency’s purview. OSTP Director
Marburger stated that more guidance was given to other agencies that have larger science budgets and to programs
that cross agency boundaries. Once completed, federal agencies then submit their proposed budgets to OMB.
In the third step, OMB worked with OSTP to review the proposed budgets to see if they reflected previously agreed
upon plans and priorities. The OSTP also participated in OMB budget examiner presentations to the OMB Director
and provided advice on priorities at that time.
OSTP Director Marburger stated that the strongest feedback on Administration priorities occurs during budget
preparation (step 2); however, the most direct feedback occurred when agencies are negotiating with OMB (step 3).
These negotiations included the funding levels and the programs on which that funding was spent.
In the fourth step, OSTP’s primary role in the budget process was to advise on the quality of the proposals and their
relevance to the priorities that had been established. The ultimate choices, however, were made by the President, the
OMB Director, and the Cabinet, according to Dr. Marburger.
Source: Transcript of U.S. House of Representatives, Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on
Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies, “Office of Science and Technology Policy,” hearing, February
26, 2008.
Note: The annual OSTP/OMB R&D priorities memorandum is available at http://www.ostp.gov/cs/rd_budgets.
Congress has mandated the existence of some subcommittees. The President has chosen, in some
cases, to use NSTC subcommittees to meet Congressional mandates for councils and other
advisory bodies. For example, the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) directs the
establishment of a President’s Council on Innovation and Competitiveness. The act states that the
council is to include the Secretary or head of a number of federal agencies, OSTP, and OMB. The

(...continued)
permanent employer does not change.





chair of the council is to be the Secretary of Commerce. However, rather than establishing the 23
council, the President established an NSTC Committee on Technology subcommittee. The 24
subcommittee has met several times to respond to the act.
OSTP’s external advisory committee is called the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and 25
Technology (PCAST) established through Executive Order 13226. The PCAST was originally
established by President George H. W. Bush, and was reestablished in the Clinton and George W.
Bush Administrations. The executive order indicates that PCAST provides a mechanism for the
President “to receive advice from the private sector and academic community on technology, 26
scientific research priorities, and math and science education.” On occasion, PCAST also meets
with the President to discuss science and technology policy issues. Several presidential level
advisory committees established in previous Administrations have been subsumed under 27
PCAST.
PCAST’s members are high-level executives from industry, education and research institutions,
and other nongovernmental organizations. PCAST conducts workshops and sometimes uses
technical advisory groups to gather information for reports to the President on topics such as
federal-state cooperation, energy, U.S. competitiveness, nanotechnology, and information
technology.
On November 20, 2008, the members of PCAST in the Bush Administration wrote a letter to the 28
individuals who would succeed them as PCAST members. The letter makes a number of
recommendations to the next PCAST. Among these are that PCAST should
• Play a more active role in advising Congress on issues related to science and
technology policy, at the direction of the President, rather than just delivering
reports to Congress;
• Consider more congressional activity, where it is needed for the Administration
to implement PCAST’s recommendations; and
• Increase interactions of PCAST, as a group, with the President, and have more
frequent sessions with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the
Council of Economic Advisors (CEA).

23 White House,Memorandum for the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, April 10, 2008, at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/04/20080410-5.html.
24 E-mail communication between the COT and CRS, September 15, 2008.
25 Executive Order 13226, “President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, 66 Federal Register 192,
October 3, 2001, pp. 50523-52524 at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/
getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=fr03oc01-141.pdf.
26 For more information on PCAST, see http://www.ostp.gov/cs/pcast/about.
27 For example, Executive Order 13385 assigned the role and responsibilities of the President’s Information
Technology Advisory Committee (PITAC) to PCAST. Executive Order 13385, “Continuance of Certain Federal
Advisory Committees and Amendments to and Revocation of Other Executive Orders,” 70 Federal Register 57989-
57991, October 4, 2005 at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-19993.pdf.
28 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, Letter to successors to the President’s Council of
Advisors on Science and Technology, November 20, 2008 at
[http://www.ostp.gov/galleries/PCAST/PCAST%20Transition%20Letter%202008-2.pdf].





Figure 2. National Science and Technology Council Committees
Source: National Science and Technology Council, website, accessed October 22,

2008 at http://www.ostp.gov/cs/nstc/committees.


Note: SC = subcommittee; IWG = interagency working group; TF = task force.
The degree to which OSTP can provide advice to the President and respond to congressional
action is related to its budget and staffing. Figure 3 provides OSTP’s budget and Figure 4
provides OSTP’s staffing level from FY1977 until FY2008. The OSTP’s FY2008 budget is $5
million. Congress appropriated an additional $2.2 million for FY2008 to support OSTP’s





Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC),29 the Science and Technology 30
Policy Institute (STPI).
As illustrated in Figure 3 and Figure 4, OSTP funding and staffing levels have varied among
Presidential Administrations. After its initial startup in the Ford Administration, OSTP funding
peaked during the G.H.W. Bush Administration, and was at its lowest during the Reagan
Administration. The OSTP’s staffing was at its peak during the Clinton Administration and at its
lowest in the Reagan Administration. Some are concerned that this uneven funding and staffing
situation leads to inconsistent provision of S&T advice within the EOP.
Although the White House has allocated OSTP 40 full-time equivalent staff members, it does not
fund staffing at that level. As of Fall 2008, OSTP had a total of 65 staff members, detailees, and 31
fellows. According to OSTP, this total includes 12 political staff, 19 non-political staff, and 34 32
detailees and fellows. The political and non-political staff are funded by OSTP, the detailees are
funded by their agencies, and the fellows by a variety of organizations.
As illustrated in Figure 5, both the Clinton and the Bush Administrations relied on detailees and
fellows to conduct OSTP’s activities. The detailees and fellows are not included in OSTP’s
budget request to Congress each year, so information regarding their number is irregular in its
availability. The available data, however, illustrate that OSTP has increasingly relied on detailees 33
and fellows. For example, in FY1992, the number of detailees and fellows was 11. Toward the
end of the Clinton Administration (FY2000), there were 61 detailees and fellows; since 2001,
approximately 30-40 detailees per year have provided about one-half of OSTP’s staffing needs.

29 For more on FFRDCs, see CRS Report RL34454, Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer, by Deborah D.
Stine.
30 In 1991, as part of P.L. 105-207, Congress established the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI). More
information on STPI is available at http://www.rand.org/scitech/stpi/about.html and http://www.ida.org/stpi/pages/
about.html.
31 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 20, 2008.
32 Fellows are scientists and engineers who come to Washington to gain experience in public policy. Most are recent
graduates of doctoral programs, but some are more experienced staff from industry or universities. Fellows generally
come for a year, but that time can be extended.
33 U.S. Congress, House Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on Departments of Veterans Affairs and
Housing and Urban Development, and Independent Agency Appropriations for 1995, National Science Foundation and rdnd
Office of Science and Technology Policy, hearing, 103 Cong., 2 sess., 1994.





Figure 3. OSTP Funding, FY1977-FY2008
Source: Congressional Research Service. Data is from Appropriation Acts and Committee Reports, FY1977-
FY2008.
Note: Due to lack of comparability, data from FY1976 and the Transition Quarter (TQ) that took place from
July 1, 1976 through September 30, 1976 is not included. Funding for OSTP’s FFRDC, STPI, is also not included.
Figure 4. OSTP Staffing Level, FY1977-2008
Source: Congressional Research Service. Data is from U.S. Office of Management and Budget, Budget of the
United States Government, Appendix, FY1979-FY2009. (Note that actual staffing numbers are provided two years
later. For example, to determine actual staffing in FY2007, one must review the FY2009 budget request.). The
OMB did not provide this data for FY2001, and information is not yet available for FY2008. For these two fiscal
years, CRS provides an estimate based on information provided by OSTP. (E-mail communication between CRS
and OSTP on August 18, 2008).
Note: The number of OSTP staff includes only political and non-political staff. It does not include detailees or
fellows. For this information, see Figure 5.





Figure 5. OSTP Political and Non-Political Staff, Detailees, and Fellows, FY1998-
FY2008
Source: Congressional Research Service based on data provided by OSTP (e-mail communication between CRS
and OSTP on August 18, 2008).
According to information provided by OSTP, two long-term and five short-term staff whose 34
primary focus is policy will be available during the presidential transition. Some federal agency
detailees have policy appointments, and these staff may stay during the transition at the discretion
of their home agency and the new Administration.

Congress faces several issues regarding oversight and implementation of OSTP. These include the
title, rank, roles, and responsibilities of the OSTP Director; the number and issue focus of OSTP
Associate Directors; and the sufficiency of OSTP budget and staffing. A related issue is the
participation of OSTP and NSTC in federal agency coordination, priority-setting, and budget
allocation. Other issues are what role OSTP should play in the communication of scientific and
technical information by federal agency scientists and engineers, and the appropriate stature and
influence of PCAST. Each of these issues will be discussed in more depth below.

34 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 20, 2008.





Some in the science and technology community have proposed that the OSTP Director have the 35
title of APST or hold cabinet rank. A related issue is whether or not the roles and responsibilities
of the OSTP Director should be undertaken by several appointees rather than one.
As shown in the Appendix, presidential science advisers have held a variety of titles since the
F.D. Roosevelt Administration. Of the 12 Administrations reviewed, the most common title has
been some variation of Science Adviser to the President (five Administrations), followed by
Special Assistant to the President (four Administrations). The OSTP Director held the title of
APST in the George H.W. Bush and Clinton Administrations but not in the George W. Bush
Administration.
Congress may be interested in two policy issues related to additional EOP titles held by the OSTP
Director. First, as discussed earlier, while the OSTP Director can be required to testify before
Congress, APSTs may decline requests that they testify, indicating that, as an assistant to the
President, they would not testify due to separation of powers and/or executive privilege. Congress
asks the OSTP Director to testify on science and technology policy related issues on a regular
basis. For example, the Bush Administration OSTP Director testified on a wide variety of topics,
including climate change research including concerns about political interference with this
research; information technology R&D program oversight; windstorm impact reduction; women
in academic science and engineering; coal gasification; international science and technology
cooperation; patents developed with federal research dollars; weather satellites; competitiveness
and basic research; and the R&D budget. Congress may wish to ensure the availability of the
OSTP Director to testify on issues of congressional interest.
Some in the science and technology community also contend that if the OSTP Director had
cabinet rank, that individual would have more access to the President and other senior 36
Administration staff. They believe that cabinet rank status would enhance the director’s
authority and influence the degree to which a scientific and technical viewpoint is incorporated
into Administration decision-making. Some Members of Congress may believe that incorporating

35 See for example, Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, Science & Technology and the
President (New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York, October 1988) at http://www.carnegie.org/sub/pubs/
science_tech/nextadm.htm; Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The
Rise, Fall and Possible Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of
American Scientists, 2004) at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf; Ensuring the Best Presidential
Appointments in the New Administration, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Science and
Technology for America’s Progress: Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments in the New Administration
(Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2008) at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12481; Jennifer Sue
Bond, Mark Schaefer, David Rejeski, Rodney W. Nichols, OSTP 2.0: Critical Upgrade: Enhancing Capacity for White
House Science and Technology Policymaking: Recommendations for the Next President (Washington, DC: Woodrow
Wilson International Center for Scholars, June 2008) at http://wilsoncenter.org/news/docs/OSTP%20Paper1.pdf; and
Center for the Study of the Presidency, Study Group on Presidential Science and Technology Personnel Advisory
Assets, “Presidential Leadership to Ensure Science and Technology in Service of National Needs: A Report to the 2008
Candidates at http://www.thepresidency.org/pubs/science_tech_2008.pdf.
36 National Academies, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Science and Technology for America’s
Progress: Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments in a New Administration (Washington, DC: National Academy
Press, 2008) at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12481.





this viewpoint and authority into an Administration is important, while others may believe this
status may influence the ability of the science adviser to represent an independent perspective or
overemphasizes the importance of incorporating S&T advice into presidential-level deliberations.
The Bush Administration OSTP Director and the longest serving science adviser, Dr. John H.
Marburger III, questioned whether or not he would have had more influence with the APST title.
He stated that holding an additional title is a trivial issue and maintains he and OSTP staff had at 37
least the same degree of access as others in previous Administrations. Further discussions with
OSTP staff indicate that OSTP Director Marburger attended the same senior staff meetings,
including Cabinet meetings, as his predecessors with “Assistant to the President” titles. The APST
title was not granted to Dr. Marburger, they said, because, as OSTP Director, Dr. Marburger could
have been required to testify before Congress. OSTP staff indicated that the Administration was
concerned that confusion might arise if Congress could require some Administration staff with 38
“Assistant to the President” titles to testify, but not others.
Some in the S&T community contend that the individual serving as APST should be able to
discriminate between privileged advice to the President that should not be disclosed to Congress 39
and information appropriate for Congress to know. They also state their belief that in order to be
influential, the APST or OSTP Director should be a cabinet-level position and identified at the
same time as cabinet members, shortly after the election of a new Administration. As APST, the
individual could begin work immediately; however, undertaking the duties of OSTP Director 40
would require formal nomination and Senate confirmation. If identified early, some in the S&T
community contend, the APST could provide the President with advice during important early
stages of the Administration. In addition, the APST could identify and recruit the best scientists,
engineers, and health professionals for the approximately 100 S&T policy-related presidential 41
appointments.
From a historical perspective, some experts believe that the relationship between the President
and the science adviser is so unique and idiosyncratic that no assumptions can be made regarding 42
the influence of that individual on presidential decision-making. Another perspective is that the 43
S&T adviser’s status and access is based on how the White House is organized. According to

37 Dan Greenberg, “Part Two: Q&A with John H. Marburger, Chronicle of Higher Education, blog, April 29, 2008, at
http://chronicle.com/review/brainstorm/greenberg/part-two-a-talk-with-president-bushs-science-adviser.
38 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 14, 2008. Some in the S&T policy
community have also expressed concerns regarding the movement of OSTP offices out of the Old Executive Office
Building. OSTP staff indicated that their movement out of the Old Executive Office Building was required due to the
need to structurally reinforce the building. Plans call for them to return to that building once this work is completed.
39 See, for example, Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise,
Fall and Possible Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of
American Scientists, 2004) at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf.
40 National Academies, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Science and Technology for America’s
Progress: Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments in a New Administration (Washington, DC: National Academy
Press, 2008) at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12481.
41 For a list of the 50 to 60 S&T policy appointments deemed most urgent by the National Academies, see National
Academies, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Science and Technology for America’s Progress:
Ensuring the Best Presidential Appointments in a New Administration (Washington, DC: National Academy Press,
2008) at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12481.
42 Roger Pielke, Jr., “Who has the ear of the President?, Nature 450:347-348, November 15, 2007 at
http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v450/n7168/full/450347a.html.
43 National Academies, Science and Technology Advice in the White House: Recommendations for President-Elect
(continued...)





this perspective, if the President relies for advice primarily on a group of White House staff
members, the adviser should be the APST. If the cabinet is the primary adviser, than the adviser
should be made a member of the Cabinet without portfolio. Based on this perspective, the title
itself is less important than the access to the President that it signals. Other critics contend that
rather than focusing on the title, the S&T community should instead focus on the degree to which 44
the Presidential Administration will be transparent about its operations.
The OSTP Director has a number of roles and responsibilities. First, the OSTP Director is to
cover two broad policy areas—science and technology—and also the issue areas where science
and technology might influence decision making on key policies such as national security,
environment, and energy policy. Today, this can include almost every public policy issue. Second,
the OSTP Director is to provide advice to the President and key Administration officials including
working with OMB on the R&D budget. Third, the OSTP Director is to manage the NSTC and
co-chair PCAST. Fourth, the OSTP Director coordinates communication activities during
disasters, and represents the United States at international S&T policy-related meetings.
One option might be to separate these roles into multiple positions, and have several appointees
undertake them. For example, one appointee could cover science and another technology. One
might focus on providing advice to the President and PCAST and another on coordinating NSTC
interagency activities and S&T advice for agencies who lack the needed expertise.
The S&T community has debated, for example, the option of having two different individuals
serve as APST and OSTP Director. While some believe having two people serve in these roles
might enhance the ability and potential of an APST to be part of the President’s inner circle, 45
others believe the potential for conflict between the two is high. Some of these same arguments
have been made regarding the option of having one appointee focus on science, and another on
technology. In this case, the concerns expressed by some in the technology community are about
the potential conflict that might occur between a presidential appointee focused on technology, 46
and the OSTP Director.
Another challenge in implementing this option is that OSTP’s budget and staff are limited. Two
senior officials with their associated staff may be more than can be supported given these
limitations. Possible Congressional options are to request the President to appoint an APST,
potentially early in the Administration, designate the OSTP Director as having cabinet rank status,
or enhance the OSTP Director’s EOP designation within the EOP so that they have more political
stature and authority.

(...continued)
George Bush (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 1988)
44 For a discussion of this issue, see David Goldston, “US election: Not the best advice.Nature, 455:453, September
24, 2008, at http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080924/full/455453a.html.
45 National Academies, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, Science and Technology in the
National Interest: Ensuring the Best Presidential and Federal Advisory Committee Science and Technology
Appointments (Washington, DC: National Academy Press, 2005) at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=11152.
46 David Hatch, “Tech Czar Might Rule Policy under Obama, Congressional Daily, September 10, 2008, at
http://www.nationaljournal.co m/c ongressdaily/
cda_20080910_6421.php?related=true&story1=cda_20080910_6421&story2=cd_20080912_9947&story3=null.





OSTP Associate Directors are Senate-confirmed presidential appointees who focus on specific
areas of science and technology policy. According to the act that established OSTP (P.L. 94-282),
OSTP can have no more than four Associate Directors. During the Clinton Administration, four
Associate Directors focused on the following issues: science; technology; environment; and
national security and international affairs. The Bush Administration reduced the number of OSTP
Associate Directors to two—one focused on science and the other on technology—and added the 47
title of Deputy Director for each. As a historical illustration, the Carter Administration had three
Associate Directors focused on the issue areas of National Security, International and Space
Affairs; Human Resources and Social and Economic Services; and Natural Resources and 48
Commercial Services.
Some Members of Congress have expressed an interest in specifying the issue focus of OSTP
Associate Directors or the Assistant Directors who report to them. For example, in its report
(S.Rept. 110-124) on the Departments of Commerce and Justice, Science, and Related Agencies
Appropriations Bill, 2008 (S. 1745), the Senate Committee on Appropriations recommended
OSTP create an Associate Director for Earth Science and Application position to coordinate all 49
federal efforts to better understand and predict changes in the earth’s climate and oceans. The
National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) Amendments Act of 2008 (H.R. 5940; S. 3274) would
require the OSTP Director to designate an Associate Director as the Coordinator for Societal
Dimensions with the responsibility for the oversight, planning, and budget for the environmental, 50
health, and safety; and, the ethical, legal and societal impact components of the NNI. Two bills
(H.R. 6104, S. 3047) would assign an assistant director the duty of managing a committee
focused on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.
OSTP staff indicated that only two OSTP Associate Directors were appointed because Dr.
Marburger believed that four Associate Directors were unnecessary to manage a maximum of 40 51
staff. Some in the science and technology community, however, have expressed concerns that an
insufficient number of Associate Directors and a lack of specific issue responsibility leads to a 52
lack of White House leadership on key issues where a coordinated effort is needed. They

47 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 14, 2008.
48 General Accounting Office, The Office of Science and Technology Policy: Adaptation to a Presidents Operating
Style May Conflict with Congressionally Mandated Assignments, PAD-80-79, September 3, 1980, at
http://archive.gao.gov/f0102/113202.pdf.
49 CRS Report RL34092, Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies: FY2008 Appropriations, by William J.
Krouse, Edward V. Murphy, and M. Angeles Villarreal.
50 CRS Report RL34614, Nanotechnology and Environmental, Health, and Safety: Issues for Consideration, by John F.
Sargent Jr.
51 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 14, 2008.
52 Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise, Fall and Possible
Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of American Scientists, 2004)
at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf; Jennifer Sue Bond, Mark Schaefer, David Rejeski, Rodney W.
Nichols, OSTP 2.0: Critical Upgrade: Enhancing Capacity for White House Science and Technology Policymaking:
Recommendations for the Next President (Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, June
2008) at http://wilsoncenter.org/news/docs/OSTP%20Paper1.pdf; and Center for the Study of the Presidency, Study
Group on Presidential Science and Technology Personnel Advisory Assets, “Presidential Leadership to Ensure Science
and Technology in Service of National Needs: A Report to the 2008 Candidates,” Summer 2008 at
http://www.thepresidency.org/pubs/science_tech_2008.pdf.





recommend that OSTP be required to have four Associate Directors and that their issue areas be
specified.
Some in the science and technology community also propose that some of the OSTP Associate
Director positions could be shared appointments with the National Economic Council (NEC),
National Security Council (NSC), Homeland Security Council (HSC), Domestic Policy Council
(DPC), and Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Shared appointments have, on occasion, 53
occurred during the Bush Administration.
The ability of OSTP to undertake the actions requested of it depends on both its budget and staff.
Figure 3 and Figure 4, presented earlier, provide OSTP’s historical budget and staffing.
Some reports developed by the S&T community express their concern that OSTP needs to have 54
more civil service professional staff and a higher budget. Such staff, they say, would maintain
institutional knowledge and have a solid understanding of the government operations. As a result,
these staff members could enhance support to political appointees. These reports assert that this
change would make OSTP staff similar to other EOP expert staff, such as those employed at 55
OMB. Additional funding, these reports state, would provide OSTP with sufficient staff and the
ability to conduct special analyses on emerging issues.
Bush Administration OSTP staff contended that sufficient long-term scientific and technical staff
to respond to the President’s scientific and technical information and analysis needs was available
at OSTP and at federal agencies. They believed, for example, that OSTP staff was sufficient even 56
when staffing is generally at its lowest point during Presidential transitions.
Should Congress wish to enhance the funding and staffing of OSTP, it can do so through the
appropriations process. Congress provided $5.2 million for OSTP in FY2008, less than the 57
President’s request of $5.5 million. For FY2009, the President’s budget requests $5.3 million for 58
OSTP. Congress may wish to maintain the current situation, or it might wish to increase the
number of OSTP civil service staff; specify the number of Associate Directors; designate the
policy issue focus of the Associate Directors; or require that OSTP play a greater role in the
activities of other EOP agencies, such as the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), National

53 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 20, 2008. For example, Richard
Russell, Associate Director for Technology, OSTP, in the Bush Administration, shared an appointment with the NEC.
54 Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise, Fall and Possible
Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of American Scientists, 2004)
at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf; and Jennifer Sue Bond, Mark Schaefer, David Rejeski, Rodney W.
Nichols, OSTP 2.0: Critical Upgrade: Enhancing Capacity for White House Science and Technology Policymaking:
Recommendations for the Next President (Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, June
2008) at http://wilsoncenter.org/news/docs/OSTP%20Paper1.pdf.
55 According to the FY2009 budget request, OMB’s budget is $78 million which supports 489 staff members. For more
information, see http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/budget/fy2009/pdf/appendix/eop.pdf.
56 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 20, 2008.
57 CRS Report RL34540, Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies: FY2009 Appropriations, by William J.
Krouse and Edward V. Murphy.
58 Ibid.





Economic Council (NEC), Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), Domestic Policy Council
(DPC), Homeland Security Council (HSC), and National Security Council (NSC).
Should Congress wish to increase the number of OSTP civil service staff while maintaining
OSTP’s current budget, it might wish to examine the utility of OSTP’s FFRDC, the Science and
Technology Policy Institute. In FY2008, Congress appropriated $2.2 million for STPI—almost 59
half the funding for the remainder of OSTP’s activities. Therefore, OSTP’s FY2008 budget
would be over $7 million if the two funds were combined. On the other hand, OSTP may need the
short-term analysis of scientific and technical information STPI provides.
As discussed earlier, OSTP, the OSTP Director and Associate Directors, and the NSTC are
involved in coordination, priority-setting, and budget allocation for federal S&T activities.
Members of Congress and S&T policy organizations have suggested that this involvement be
enhanced. This section describes those perspectives.
In the past, a number of Members of Congress have expressed an interest in enhancing the role
OSTP, the OSTP Director, and NSTC play in federal agency coordination, priority-setting, and 60
budget allocation. For example, the America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) states the President,
acting through OSTP, shall convene a National Science and Technology Summit to examine the 61
health and direction of the U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics enterprises.
The act then directs OSTP to submit, as part of the annual budget submission, a description of
how the Administration’s R&D budget priorities relate to the conclusions and recommendations
of the summit.
Some bills would have directed the OSTP Director, or an Associate Director designated by the
director, to convene interagency committees or other activities to enhance coordination, priority-th
setting, or budget allocation. Examples in the 110 Congress include activities in nanotechnology 62
(H.R. 5940, S. 3274), climate change (H.R. 906, S. 2307, S. 280), the Small Business
Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) program (H.R. 63

5819), gender equity in academic science and engineering (H.R. 6314, H.R. 6263),


measurement standards for sequestered carbon (S. 280), and regional infrastructure cost
assessments of the impacts of climate change (H.R. 620, H.R. 4226, S. 280).

59 For FY2008, funding for STPI was not requested as part of OSTPs budget request, but that of the National Science
Foundation (NSF). Congress directed that NSF transfer STPI funding to OSTP.
60 For more information, see CRS Report RL34396, The America COMPETES Act and the FY2009 Budget and CRS
Report RL34328, America COMPETES Act: Programs, Funding, and Selected Issues, both by Deborah D. Stine.
61 The summit was held on August 18-19, 2008. For more information, see http://www.ornl.gov/sci/natlscitechsummit/.
According to OSTP staff, the report based on the summit will be released in Fall 2008.
62 For more information, CRS Report RL34401, The National Nanotechnology Initiative: Overview, Reauthorization,
and Appropriations Issues, by John F. Sargent Jr.
63 For more information, see CRS Report RS22865, The Small Business Innovation Research Program:
Reauthorization Efforts, by Wendy H. Schacht.





Other bills have specified the involvement of NSTC. Examples include bills focused on hurricane
research (H.R. 2407, H.R. 1832, S. 931), ocean acidification (H.R. 4174), and STEM education th
(S. 3047, H.R. 6104, S. 3324) in the 110 Congress. Some bills in this same Congress would have
required federal agencies to use the results of NSTC reports (H.R. 3957, S. 3314), and that OMB
provide Congress with information on NSTC budget and resources (S. 3260).
Sometimes Congress has specified a mix of these mechanisms in legislation. For example, the
America COMPETES Act states that the OSTP Director, through the NSTC, should identify and
prioritize deficiencies in research facilities and major instrumentation at federal laboratories and
national user facilities located at academic institutions.
Some reports from the science and technology community state that they would like the OSTP
Director to take a greater role in coordination, priority-setting, and budget allocation regarding 64656667
the R&D budget, energy; STEM education; international science and technology policy; 68
and federal-state science and technology policy. In addition, some in the S&T policy community
have suggested that the OSTP Director play a greater role in EOP policy bodies that are involved 69
in priority-setting and budget allocation such as OMB, NEC, CEQ, DPC, and the NSC. For
example, the OSTP Director could be required to play a greater role (e.g., certification) in setting
priorities at the federal agencies, particularly for multi-agency and inter-agency activities.
Another recommendation in these science and technology community reports is that NSTC’s 70
authority should be equivalent to that of the NSC. The NSTC, they believe, lacks the influence
of NSC because it does not have the same statutory authority, staff, or budget.

64 Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise, Fall and Possible
Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of American Scientists, 2004)
at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf.
65 Senator Jeff Bingaman, “The Energy Challenge We Face and The Strategies We Need, The Karl Taylor Compton
Lecture, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, April 25, 2008 at http://energy.senate.gov/public/_files/
ComptonLectureJFB.pdf.
66 National Science Board, National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the U.S. Science, Technology,
and Mathematics Education System (Ballston, VA: National Science Foundation, 2007) at http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/
documents/2007/stem_action.pdf.
67 National Science Board, International Science and Engineering Partnerships: A Priority for U.S. Foreign Policy and
Our Nations Innovation Enterprise, NSB 08-4 (Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation, 2008), at
http://www.nsf.gov/nsb/publications/2008/nsb084.pdf. Jennifer Sue Bond, Mark Schaefer, David Rejeski, Rodney W.
Nichols, OSTP 2.0: Critical Upgrade: Enhancing Capacity for White House Science and Technology Policymaking:
Recommendations for the Next President (Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, June
2008) at http://wilsoncenter.org/news/docs/OSTP%20Paper1.pdf. Also, see CRS Report RL34503, Science,
Technology, and American Diplomacy: Background and Issues for Congress, by Deborah D. Stine.
68 Jennifer Sue Bond, Mark Schaefer, David Rejeski, Rodney W. Nichols, OSTP 2.0: Critical Upgrade: Enhancing
Capacity for White House Science and Technology Policymaking: Recommendations for the Next President
(Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, June 2008) at http://wilsoncenter.org/news/
docs/OSTP%20Paper1.pdf.
69 Ibid.
70 Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise, Fall and Possible
(continued...)





For example, during the Clinton Administration, six NSTC Presidential Review Directives 71
(PRD) were issued. The PRDs served as the basis for gathering information, and policy options
for the President. President Clinton then had this information available as he developed eight 72
Presidential Decision Directives (PDD) establishing new policy. According to OSTP, the Bush
Administration took a different approach instead issuing executive orders or executive 73
memoranda following NSTC deliberations instead of directives.
When asked about issues such as these, OSTP Director Marburger indicated that federal agencies
are tasked with these issues, and that OSTP already interacts with other EOP agencies. Further,
stated Dr. Marburger, existing interagency coordination efforts are sufficient, and the federal
agencies that develop and fund those programs should take a leadership role in coordinating 74
activities. Some in the S&T community, however, believe this puts S&T in a supportive role,
regardless of the issue, rather than exerting the more prominent influence they believe S&T 75
should have on public policy in some situations.
The OSTP also plays in the communication of scientific and technical information developed and
analyzed by federal scientists and engineers. For example, OSTP, as part of a process managed by
OMB, reviews scientific and technically- related testimony to Congress.
During the Bush Administration, there were charges, primarily related to environment, public
health, and national security issues, that the “integrity of science” was adversely affected through 76
politicization. These allegations contend that Administration officials restricted the ability of
federal scientists and engineers to provide information, instructed them to change their research

(...continued)
Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of American Scientists, 2004)
at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf.
71 For more information, see CRS Report 98-611, Presidential Directives: Background and Overview, by Harold C.
Relyea.
72 A list is available at http://www.fas.org/irp/offdocs/direct.htm.
73 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 25, 2008. Examples of some executive
orders and memoranda regarding space and aerospace issues are available at http://www.ostp.gov/cs/issues/
space_aeronautics and http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2006/12/20061220-7.html.
74 See, for example, John H. Marburger, Director, OSTP, Testimony before the House Committee on Science and
Technology, Subcommittee on Research and Science Education, International Science and Technology Cooperation, thnd
110 Cong. 2 sess., April 2, 2008, at http://democrats.science.house.gov/Media/File/Commdocs/hearings/2008/
Research/2apr/Marburger_Testimony.pdf.
75 Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise, Fall and Possible
Resurrection of Science Policy Advice in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of American Scientists, 2004)
at http://www.fas.org/pubs/_docs/flying_blind.pdf.
76 See, for example, Union of Concerned Scientists, Scientific Integrity in Policymaking: An Investigation into the Bush
Administrations Misuse of Science, March 2004 at http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/scientific_integrity/
rsi_final_fullreport_1.pdf; Union of Concerned Scientists, Federal Science and the Public Good: Securing the Integrity
of Science in Policy Making, February 2008 at http://ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/solutions/big_picture_solutions/
federal-science-and-the.html; and Rena Steinzor, Wendy Wagner, and Matthew Shudtz, Saving Science from Politics:
Nine Essential Reforms of the Legal System, Center for Progressive Reform, July 2008 at
http://www.progressivereform.org/articles/SavingScience805.pdf.





reports, or modified the congressional testimony of federal scientific and technical agency
leadership that did not support the Administration’s views. OSTP Director Marburger stated that
such allegations are “sweeping generalizations based on a patchwork of disjointed facts and 77
accusations that reach conclusions that are wrong and misleading.”
Policymakers responded to concerns about Bush Administration involvement in the
communication of scientific and technical information by federal agency scientists and engineers
in several ways. The America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69, §1009) directs OSTP to develop an
overarching set of principles to ensure the communication and open exchange of data by federal
scientists and engineers. On May 28, 2008, in response to this requirement, OSTP sent a
memorandum to federal agencies that sponsor research. The memorandum provides guidance and
the following “Core Principle for Communication of the Results of Scientific Research
Conducted by Scientists Employed by Federal Civilian Agencies”:
Robust and open communication of scientific information is critical not only for advancing
science, but also for ensuring that society is informed and provided with objective and
factual information to make sound decisions. Accordingly, the Federal government is
committed to a culture of scientific openness that fosters and protects the open exchange of 78
ideas, data and information to the scientific community, policymakers, and the public.
The memorandum also indicates that NASA’s science communications policy should be a model 79
for other federal agencies. The NASA policy states that, “In keeping with the desire for a culture
of openness, NASA employees may, consistent with this policy, speak to the press and the public
about their work.” Exceptions exist for privileged and other controlled information.
Members of Congress also introduced H.R. 985, the Whistleblower Protection Enhancement Act
of 2007. This act would enhance existing whistleblower protections for all federal employees,
including extending protection to science-based agency staff. The bill would do so by including
as part of the definition of “abuse of authority,” “any action that compromises the validity or
accuracy of federally funded research and analysis” and “the dissemination of false or misleading 80
scientific, medical, or technical information.”
Some S&T policy advocacy groups have proposed scientific communication policy changes for 81
the next Administration. Among these proposals are that an executive order be issued requiring
federal agency leadership to monitor scientific integrity within their agency and submit an annual
report to OSTP with their observations and actions. Other proposed actions are reversing

77 See, for example, OSTP, “Statement by President Bush’s Science Adviser and Director of the Office of Science and
Technology Policy John H. Marburger III on Union of Concerned Scientists Document and Press Release, press
release at http://www.ostp.gov/galleries/press_release_files/jhmStatementUCS27-8-04.pdf.
78 OSTP, “Principles for the Release of Scientific Research Results,” Memorandum, May 28, 2008, at
http://www.ostp.gov/galleries/default-file/Research%20Results.pdf. Note that this memorandum regards the
communication of scientific data and information, not science and technology policy.
79 NASA’s policy is available at http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/145687main_information_policy.pdf.
80 CRS Report RL33918, The Whistleblower Protection Act: An Overview, by L. Paige Whitaker.
81 Union of Concerned Scientists, Federal Science and the Public Good: Securing the Integrity of Science in Policy
Making, February 2008 at http://ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/solutions/big_picture_solutions/federal-science-and-
the.html; and Rena Steinzor, Wendy Wagner, and Matthew Shudtz, Saving Science from Politics: Nine Essential
Reforms of the Legal System, Center for Progressive Reform, July 2008 at http://www.progressivereform.org/articles/
SavingScience805.pdf.





Executive Order 1342282 so that OMB is not permitted to conduct a political review of scientific
documents; enhancing whistleblower protections, including strengthening the Office of Special 83
Counsel; requiring that scientific studies used to inform regulatory policy be disclosed and
docketed prior to the decision-making process; reforming agency communication and media 84
policies; and providing the public with both the scientific results or analysis used in
policymaking and the ability to include a minority report if there are any significant dissenting 85
scientific evidence or opinions.
Unlike NSTC, PCAST has not been the subject of much legislative activity. However, some in the
S&T policy community believe that PCAST does not have the stature and influence it once had,
and PCAST focuses now on a narrower set of issues less likely to be of presidential-level 86
interest. For example, they state that while President George H.W. Bush held the first PCAST
meeting at Camp David and participated in PCAST meetings, Presidents Clinton and George W.
Bush only met occasionally for short periods of time with the PCAST chair or committee
members.
As a federal advisory committee, the PCAST is unusual in that the executive order creating it
states it will be co-chaired by the OSTP Director and one of its members, as opposed to having an
independent chair, not directly associated with the Administration. Most federal advisory
committees do not have Administration staff as members of their committees or as chairs. If
Administration staff are included as part of the advisory committee, it is generally in an ex-officio
role (e.g., National Science Board). The inclusion of the OSTP Director as both member and co-
chair may reduce PCAST’s ability to provide independent thinking to the White House and may
place the OSTP Director in an awkward position if PCAST members disagree with White House
policy.
The Bush Administration OSTP staff countered that some of the more narrowly focused topics on
which PCAST has written reports were in response to congressional requirements for a
presidential-level commission to examine an issue. The OSTP staff also asserted that the degree

82 Executive Order 13422, “Further Amendment to Executive Order 12866 on Regulatory Planning and Review,” 72
Federal Register 14, January 23, 2007, pp. 2763-2765, at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2007/pdf/07-293.pdf.
83 The Office of Special Counsel is an independent agency that receives allegations of prohibited personnel practices,
investigates such allegations, and conducts investigations of possible prohibited personnel practices on its own
initiative, absent any allegation. For more information, CRS Report RL33918, The Whistleblower Protection Act: An
Overview, by L. Paige Whitaker.
84 For a discussion of this issue on an agency-specific basis, see Union of Concerned Scientists, Freedom to Speak? A
Report Card on Federal Agency Media Policies, 2008 at http://www.ucsusa.org/assets/documents/scientific_integrity/
Freedom-to-Speak.pdf.
85 Union of Concerned Scientists, Federal Science and the Public Good: Securing the Integrity of Science in Policy
Making, February 2008 at http://ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/solutions/big_picture_solutions/federal-science-and-
the.html; and Rena Steinzor, Wendy Wagner, and Matthew Shudtz, Saving Science from Politics: Nine Essential
Reforms of the Legal System, Center for Progressive Reform, July 2008 at http://www.progressivereform.org/articles/
SavingScience805.pdf.
86 Center for the Study of the Presidency, Study Group on Presidential Science and Technology Personnel Advisory
Assets,Presidential Leadership to Ensure Science and Technology in Service of National Needs: A Report to the 2008
Candidates, Summer 2008 at http://www.thepresidency.org/pubs/science_tech_2008.pdf.





to which PCAST members have met with the President and the influence of PCAST reports does 87
not differ that much from the previous Administration.
Some S&T policy organizations have suggested strengthening PCAST by broadening its
mandate, explicitly including national and homeland security issues, enhancing its independence, 88
and increasing its staff significantly. These suggestions include recommendations to make the
chair of PCAST solely one of its members, providing all members with security clearances, and
appointing them to staggering and overlapping terms unrelated to presidential and congressional
election cycles.
The S&T community also suggests that the number of Presidential advisory committees be
increased. For example, some in the community propose advisory committees focused on specific
issues of S&T policy issues, such as a Federal-State Science and Technology Council to enhance 89
dialogue with the states, particularly on STEM education.
The primary challenges to implementing this recommendation are cost and Federal Advisory
Committee Act (P.L. 92-463) requirements regarding justification of any new advisory
committee, membership, and ethics rules (including financial disclosure) that may make it 90
challenging to recruit committee members. Other options are to commission non-federal 91
advisory committees, such as those of the National Academies, to address short-term topics of
interest.

Congress may consider several legislative options regarding OSTP. First, it may wish to evaluate
whether or not OSTP is still needed within the EOP. If so, Congress can continue its current
OSTP legislative guidance mechanisms, or it can increase the intensity with which it applies those
mechanisms. Currently, the President has discretion over the policies, structure, and personnel of

87 Based on CRS discussions with Stanley Sokul, Chief of Staff, OSTP, August 20, 2008.
88 See for example, Carnegie Commission on Science, Technology, and Government, Science & Technology and the
President (New York: Carnegie Corporation of New York, October 1988); Henry Kelly, Ivan Oelrich, Steven
Aftergood, and Benn H. Tannenbaum, Flying Blind: The Rise, Fall and Possible Resurrection of Science Policy Advice
in the United States (Washington, DC: Federation of American Scientists, 2004); and Center for the Study of the
Presidency, Study Group on Presidential Science and Technology Personnel Advisory Assets, “Presidential Leadership
to Ensure Science and Technology in Service of National Needs: A Report to the 2008 Candidates, Summer 2008 at
http://www.thepresidency.org/pubs/science_tech_2008.pdf.
89 Jennifer Sue Bond, Mark Schaefer, David Rejeski, Rodney W. Nichols, OSTP 2.0: Critical Upgrade: Enhancing
Capacity for White House Science and Technology Policymaking: Recommendations for the Next President
(Washington, DC: Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, June 2008) at http://wilsoncenter.org/news/
docs/OSTP%20Paper1.pdf; and Center for the Study of the Presidency, Study Group on Presidential Science and
Technology Personnel Advisory Assets, “Presidential Leadership to Ensure Science and Technology in Service of
National Needs: A Report to the 2008 Candidates,” Summer 2008 at http://www.thepresidency.org/pubs/
science_tech_2008.pdf.
90 For more information, see CRS Report RL30260, Federal Advisory Committees: A Primer, by Wendy R. Ginsberg.
91 The National Academies is the collective name for the National Academy of Sciences (NAS), National Academy of
Engineering (NAE), the Institute of Medicine (IOM), and the National Research Council (NRC). The NAS is a private,
nonprofit organization, established by a congressional charter approved by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. The National
Academies provide independent advice on science and technology matters. For more information on this organization
and others, see CRS Report RL34454, Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer, by Deborah D. Stine.





OSTP, NSTC, and PCAST. Congress annually oversees OSTP through the regular authorization
and appropriation process and introduces issue-specific bills that identify actions and issues on
which Members of Congress believe OSTP should focus. An alternative is for Congress to
increase the intensity of its evaluation by holding oversight hearings on OSTP or by amending
OSTP’s authorization statute.
In evaluating various policy options, it may be important to consider whether the influence of the
OSTP Director within the EOP depends more on a personal relationship with the President or on
legislated action. Another factor may be the degree to which the President believes S&T advice
should be an important factor in decision making. These options and issues are discussed in more
depth below.
Given OSTP’s presence within the EOP, one option is for Congress to allow the President to
manage OSTP as he or she wishes. The President, with Senate confirmation, would continue to
appoint the OSTP Director and Associate Directors; determine OSTP’s policy agenda; and
organize the management of the office. The President could also continue to use executive orders 92
to manage other activities, such as the formation of NSTC and PCAST.
Some Members of Congress may believe that no changes need to be made in OSTP operations.
Others may believe that taking legislative action regarding OSTP would be neither efficient nor
effective given its presence in the EOP and the nature of its activities. As described in this report,
OSTP and its affiliated organizations have constantly evolved, responding to the changing needs
of the Administration and societal needs as well as new scientific and technical challenges and
opportunities. This may be appropriate given the separation of powers between the legislative and
executive branches inherent in the U.S. constitution.
One fundamental question is whether high-level S&T advice is needed, and, if so, whether a full-93
time adviser or presidential advisory committee is needed within the EOP. Presidents and their
senior advisers may believe that most of their decisions are based on issues of value or value
conflicts, so that their need for S&T knowledge is very general. They may feel no requirement for
a S&T adviser or related presidential advisory committee to provide opinion or build support for
White House decisions.
From a presidential perspective, if the S&T adviser or presidential advisory committee is not
committed to the President’s agenda and is not willing to represent the Administration’s
perspective, the President may believe that high-level S&T advice will provide more harm than

92 Note that other organizations besides OSTP, NSTC, and PCAST provide analysis and advice to the White House,
Congress, and federal agencies. For example, Congress often asks that the National Academy of Sciences or the
National Science Board provide this guidance. For more information on these organizations and others, CRS Report
RL34454, Science and Technology Policymaking: A Primer, by Deborah D. Stine. For a discussion of this issue, see
Roger Pielke, Jr., “Who Has the Ear of the President?, Nature, 450:347-348, November 15, 2007, at
http://sciencepolicy.colorado.edu/admin/publication_files/resource-2574-2007.28.pdf.
93 The discussion in this section is based on Chapter 8, “Science Advisers at the Presidential Level,” in Bruce L.R.
Smith, The Advisers: Scientists in the Policy Process (Washington, DC: The Brookings Institution 1992).





good. If the S&T adviser has a close relationship with the President, the S&T community may
fear this will lead to the politicization of S&T and subvert the S&T adviser’s ability to provide
independent advice. A historical review of presidential S&T activities since the F.D. Roosevelt
Administration illustrates that a presidential S&T adviser or advisory committee may be placed in
a challenging position when a difference in opinion exists between the President and the majority
of the S&T community. The result may be dismissal or marginalization of S&T consideration 94
from the White House inner circle.
On the other hand, an S&T adviser who understands these sensitivities may be an asset to the
Administration, providing confidential advice privately and speaking authoritatively on S&T-
related issues for the Administration publically. The S&T adviser can help assess S&T related
departments and agencies, resolve competing claims among these agencies, coordinate the efforts
of R&D agencies and the external S&T community in national emergencies, and anticipate new
and emerging S&T issues. In addition, presidential advisory committees provide an ongoing 95
ability to engage the S&T community each time the President feels the need for external advice.
An alternative approach is making OSTP an independent agency rather than an agency of the
EOP. This might lead to an OSTP that is more independent and provide a more optimal distance
between the President and the OSTP director. Congress might also benefit from having a
centralized source of independent S&T advice, and more control over OSTP’s interagency
coordination and other activities. If OSTP were no longer part of the EOP, however, it might also
be viewed as sufficiently distant from Presidential decisions that neither the Administration or
federal agencies would be sufficiently responsive to its advice or requests. The S&T community
objected when a somewhat similar action was taken by President Nixon when he moved the
precursor to OSTP from the EOP to NSF.
Congress currently holds hearings as part of the presidential appointee confirmation process, part
of the appropriation process, and on issues of interest to a given committee. Through the hearing
process and other legislative actions, such as introducing bills, passing laws, and writing related
report language, Congress provides direction and guidance to OSTP.
One challenge in undertaking these actions is that OSTP might receive overlapping or conflicting
instructions. Resolving these conflicts may prove to be difficult. Additionally, Congress may
mandate actions taken by OSTP, but not provide additional funding. In such cases, OSTP may be
forced to choose between prioritizing the general statutory activities or specifically mandated
priorities due to limited funding.
Should Congress wish to take more substantive action, it might consider holding specific
oversight hearings on OSTP or amending OSTP authorizing statute, the National Science and
Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-282) to reflect current
Congressional priorities. For example, Congress might state in legislation that OSTP should

94 Ibid.
95 Ibid.





designate staff or undertake activities specifically focused on an issue of concern. Establishing
such specific priorities and personnel in statute would limit agency discretion, potentially
reducing its ability to address other parts of its statutory mission, while securing a focus on
specified topics. In addition, it may become challenging to respond to new and emerging S&T
topics. For example, nanotechnology was not an issue during the Reagan Administration, while it
is an issue today.
When policymakers consider these and other options, one important factor is that the influence of
the OSTP director, APST, science adviser, or technology adviser, regardless of their title, likely
depends on the relationship between whomever is appointed to that position and the President.
While one President may decide to rely heavily on the advice of such an office, another may
decide to rely only minimally upon it.
Another factor for Congress to weigh may be the degree to which the President or other top EOP
officials generally are interested in S&T policy and the degree to which they believe S&T advice
should be an important factor in their decision making. Officials who do not consider S&T an
important factor are less likely to solicit input from the S&T adviser. A related issue is the degree
to which the President believes that the role of an S&T adviser is to support and express the views
of the Administration, versus to provide independent advice and judgment. If the President
prefers a S&T policy adviser who views their role as primarily supporting the Administration’s
perspective, there may be fundamental differences between the S&T adviser and the S&T
community.





Table A-1. President’s Science and Technology Policy Advisers, Executive Office of the President Agency, Interagency
Coordination Organization, and Advisory Committee, 1941-2008
Executive Office of Interagency Coordination Advisory Committee
President Advisers with Title(s) (Years in Office) the President Agency Organization (Year Established)
(Year Established) (Year Established)
F.D. aVannevar Bushb (1941-1945); Director, Office of Scientific Science Advisory Board (1933)
Roosevelt Office of Scientific Research and Research and
Development Development (OSRD;
1941)
Trumanb John Steelmanb(1946-1947); Special The President’s Scientific Science Advisory Committee (SAC) of the
Assistant to the President (1945-1946); Research Board (1946-1947); Office of Defense Mobilization (1946)
Assistant to the President (1946-1953); Interdepartmental Committee for
Chairman, The President’s Scientific Research Scientific Research (1947)
iki/CRS-RL34736Board (1946-1947)
g/wOliver Buckleyb (1951-1952); Chair, Science
s.orAdvisory Committee (SAC)
leakLee DuBridgeb(1952-1953), Chair, SAC
://wikiEisenhower Lee DuBridge (1953-1956), Office of the Special Federal Council for Science and SAC (1953-56); President’s Science Advisory
httpChair, SAC; Science Adviser to the President Assistant to the President for Science Technology (FCST) (1959) Committee (PSAC; 1957, replaced SAC).


Isidor I. Rabi (1956-1957), and Technology (1957)
Chair, SAC; Science Adviser to the President
James Killian, Jr. (1957-1959);
Special Assistant to the President for Science
and Technology; Chair, President’s Science
Advisory Committee (PSAC)
George Kistiakowsky (1959-1961), Special
Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology; Chair, PSAC


Executive Office of Interagency Coordination Advisory Committee
President Advisers with Title(s) (Years in Office) the President Agency Organization (Year Established)
(Year Established) (Year Established)
Kennedy Jerome Wiesner (1961-1963), Special Office of Science and FCST PSAC
Assistant to the President for Science and Technology (OST; 1962)
Technology; Director, OST; Chair, FCST;
Chair, PSAC
Johnson Jerome Wiesner (1963-1964), Special OST FCST PSAC
Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology; Director, OST; Chair, FCST;
Chair, PSAC
Donald Hornig (1964-1969), Special
Assistant to the President for Science and
Technology; Director, OST; Chair, FCST:
Chair, PSAC
Nixonc Lee DuBridge (1969-1970), Science Adviser OST (until 1973, when FCST PSAC (until 1973, when member resignations
to the President; Director, OST office abolished) were accepted, and no new appointments
iki/CRS-RL34736Edward David, Jr. (1970-1973), were made).
g/w
s.orScience Adviser to the President; Director,
leakOST
H. Guyford Stever (1973-1974); Science
://wikiAdviser to the President; Chair, FCST
httpFord H. Guyford Stever (1974-1977); Science Office of Science and Federal Coordinating Council for Intergovernmental Science, Engineering, and
Adviser to the President; Technology Policy Science, Engineering, and Technology Panel (ISETAP; 1976);d
Director, Office of Science and Technology (1976) Technology (FCCSET; 1976, replaced FCST) President’s Council on Science and Technology (PCST; 1976)
Policy (OSTP)
Carter Frank Press (1977-1981); Science and OSTP FCCSET dissolved as statutory PCST (until 1978, abolished with its functions
Technology Advisor to the President; entity and reestablished under an transferred to President by executive order);
Director, OSTP; Chair, FCCSET executive order (1978) ISETAP (in 1978, dissolved as statutory entity
and reestablished under an executive order)
Reagan George Keyworth, II (1981-1985), Science OSTP FCCSET White House Science Council (1982; reports
Adviser to the President; Director, OSTP to Science Adviser, not President; established
William R. Graham (1986 - 1989), Science by Science Adviser, not executive order)


Adviser to the President; Director, OSTP


Executive Office of Interagency Coordination Advisory Committee
President Advisers with Title(s) (Years in Office) the President Agency Organization (Year Established)
(Year Established) (Year Established)
G.H.W. D. Allan Bromley (1989-1993), Assistant to OSTP FCCSET President’s Council of Advisors on Science
Bush the President for Science and Technology; and Technology (PCAST; 1990)
Director, OSTP; Chair, PCAST
Clinton John Gibbons (1993-1998), Assistant to the OSTP National Science and Technology PCAST (Name changed to President’s
President for Science and Technology; Council (NSTC; 1993) Committee of Advisors on Science and
Director, OSTP; Co-Chair, PCAST Technology; 1993)
Neal Lane (1998-2001), Assistant to the
President for Science and Technology;
Director, OSTP; Co-Chair, PCAST
G.W. Bush John Marburger, III (2001-present), OSTP NSTC PCAST (Name changed back to President’s
Science Adviser to the President; Director, Council of Advisors on Science and
OSTP; Co-Chair, PCAST Technology; 2001)
Sources: Congressional Research Service. The table is based on information from the following sources: Public Papers of the Presidents (Washington, DC: GPO) with the
iki/CRS-RL34736following volumes were used as references: Dwight D. Eisenhower (1957, 1960); Lyndon B. Johnson (1962, 1966, 1967); Richard M. Nixon (1969, 1970, 1973), Gerald Ford
g/w(1976-1977), Jimmy Carter (1977, 1978), Ronald Reagan (1981, 1983, 1986), and George H.W. Bush (1989); Jeffrey K. Stine, A History of Science Policy in the United thnd
s.orStates, 1940-1985, Report for the House Committee on Science and Technology Task Force on Science Policy, 99 Congress, 2 session, Committee Print (Washington, DC: GPO, 1986), available at http://ia341018.us.archive.org/2/items/historyofscience00unit/historyofscience00unit.pdf; William T. Golden (ed.), Science Advice to the
leakPresident (New York: Pergamon Press, 1979); William G. Wells, Science Advice and the Presidency: 1933-1976. Dissertation, School of Government and Business
://wikiAdministration (Washington, DC: George Washington University, 1977); OSTP, “Previous Science Advisers,” website at http://www.ostp.gov/cs/about_ostp/previous_science_advisors, accessed September 19, 2008; Truman Library at http://www.trumanlibrary.org/hstpaper/steelman.htm.; “Lee Alvin DuBridge (Part II) (1901-
http1993), Interviewed by Judith R. Goodstein,” Oral History, February 20, 1981, California Institute of Technology Archives at http://oralhistories.library.caltech.edu/68/01/
OH_DuBridge_2.pdf; Nixon Presidential Library Archives, Officials of Administration at http://nixon.archives.gov/thelife/apolitician/thepresident/officialsofadministration.php;
John T. Woolley and Gerhard Peters, The American Presidency Project [online], Santa Barbara, CA: University of California (hosted), Gerhard Peters (database) at
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/; National Archives, “Records of the Office of Science and Technology,” webpage at http://www.archives.gov/research/guide-fed-records/
groups/359.html. Other sources include Executive Orders 9912, 9913, 10807, 12039, 12881, 12882, 13226; Reorganization Plan No. 2 of 1962; Reorganization Plan No. 1 of
1973; and Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1977: Executive Order 9912, “Establishing the Interdepartmental Committee on Scientific Research and Development,” 12 Federal
Register 8799, December 27, 1947 at http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=60725; Executive Order 9913, “Terminating the Office of Scientific Research and
Development and Providing for the Completion of its Liquidation,” 12 Federal Register 8799, December 27, 1947 at http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/
index.php?pid=78155; Executive Order 10807, “Federal Council for Science and Technology, 24 Federal Register 1897, March 17, 1959; Executive Order 12039, “Relating
to the Transfer of Certain Science and Technology Policy Functions,” 43 Federal Register 8095; February 28, 1978 at http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/
index.php?pid=30416; Executive Order 12881, “Establishment of the National Science and Technology Council,” 58 Federal Register 226, November 23, 1993, p. 62491 at
http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12881.pdf; Executive Order 12882, “Executive Order 12882 - President’s Committee of Advisors on Science
and Technology,” 58 Federal Register 226, November 26, 1993, p. 62493 at http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12882.pdf; Executive Order
13226, “President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology,” 66 Federal Register 192, October 3, 2001, pp. 50523-52524 at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/
getdoc.cgi?dbname=2001_register&docid=fr03oc01-141.pdf; U.S. President (Kennedy), “Special Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 2 of 1962,”
Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: John F. Kennedy, 1962, March 29, 1962, at http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/
index.php?pid=24601&st=Reorganization+Plan+No.+2+of+1962&st1=; U.S. President (Nixon), “Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan 1 of 1973




Restructuring the Executive Office of the President,” Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Richard M. Nixon, January 26, 1973, at
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=3819&st=Reorganization+Plan+No.+1+of+1973&st1=; U.S. President (Carter), “Executive Office of the President
Message to the Congress Transmitting Reorganization Plan No. I of 1977,” Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: Jimmy Carter, July 15, 1977, at
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=7809&st=Reorganization+Plan+No.+1+of+1977&st1=.
Notes: The science advisers may have additional titles not represented in this table. In recent times, the hierarchy of assistants to the President within the White House
Office is as follows, going from high to low: Assistant to the President, Deputy Assistant to the President, Special Assistant to the President. (National Archives and Records
Administration, The United States Government Manual 2007-2008 (Washington, DC: GPO, 2007) at http://www.gpoaccess.gov/gmanual/browse-gm-07.html.)
a. President Theodore Roosevelt appointed the Committee on the Organization of Scientific Work to assess the central organization of government scientific bureaus
(agencies) with a focus on eliminating duplication.
b. Opinions differ on who is the first presidential science adviser. On its website, OSTP states it is Oliver Buckley and does not include either Vannevar Bush or John
Steelman in its list of presidential science advisors. Others believe the latter two individuals were presidential science advisers as well. As OSRD Director, Vannevar
Bush, submitted a report, Science -The Endless Frontier, to the President Franklin Roosevelt Administration that is the foundation for today’s federal S&T policy.
President Truman asked that John Steelman, as Director of War Mobilization and Reconversion in the EOP, chair a Presidential Scientific Research Board that was to
make recommendations on how to enhance coordination and efficiency of federal R&D. Once this report was released, President Truman asked Steelman, a
Presidential Assistant, to act as a liaison between the President and the newly formed Interdepartmental Committee on Scientific Research and Development. Buckley,
DuBridge, and Rabi were all Chairs of the Science Advisory Committee and as such, were given the title of Presidential science advisers. For more discussion of this
issue, see “Oral History Interview with William T. Golden” at http://www.trumanlibrary.org/oralhist/goldenw.htm.
iki/CRS-RL34736c. For an understanding of the charges to the different scientific advisory boards and committees, see “Letter to the Chairman, Science Advisory Committee” at http://trumanlibrary.org/publicpapers/viewpapers.php?pid=301; executive order establishing the President’s Scientific Research Board, available at
g/whttp://www.trumanlibrary.org/executiveorders/index.php?pid=467; and the Interdepartmental Committee for Scientific Research, available at
s.orhttp://www.trumanlibrary.org/publicpapers/index.php?pid=1847&st=&st1=.
leakd. On January 26, 1973, as part of a reorganization plan, the Office of Science and Technology within the Executive Office of the President was abolished. All of its duties,
including that of Science Advisor, were transferred to the National Science Foundation (NSF). As a result, the NSF Director became the Science Adviser. For more
://wikidetails, see http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=3819&st=&st1=.
httpe. ISETAP members included the OSTP Director, NSF Director, and state, local, and regional officials.





Deborah D. Stine
Specialist in Science and Technology Policy
dstine@crs.loc.gov, 7-8431