Andrew Yang policy on REVIVE THE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT

[Sherman A1]

Quite frankly, the level of technological understanding by some members of our government is embarrassing. Anyone who watched Congress question Mark Zuckerberg is well aware of this, and it makes it unreasonable to expect proper regulation of major tech companies, or legislation that addresses the large technological issues that we’ll continue to face in areas such as AI and cybersecurity.

It’s also impossible to imagine that Congress can provide full oversight over the executive branch, whose Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is staffed extensively, providing guidance and information on important technological developments to the President and other executive-branch staff.

The Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) provided valuable research to our legislative branch until it was phased out in 1995. Free of the bias of private industry or think tanks, the OTA provided neutral information on the latest technological developments to legislators. Many of these reports, despite being a quarter of a century old, show an amazing prescience on topics that are still relevant to this day. This vital institution needs to be revived, with a budget large enough and rules flexible enough to draw top talent away from the very lucrative private sector.

"Cutting the OTA over two decades ago to ‘save money’ was the dumbest decision ever, and it likely cost the American people hundreds of times the budget of the OTA based on less efficient and informed legislation. Having a group of technology experts on hand for Congress to consult with, free of industry influence, is common sense and overdue. Let’s try to get in front of the true challenges of the 21st century and get Congress the information they need to make intelligent decisions."

https://www.yang2020.com/policies/reviveota/