The United States government indirectly supports industrial applications of biotechnology by funding basic research in a wide range of relevant disciplines. This assessment of the U.S. competitive position in biotechnology takes into account the extent to which specific countries are posing a significant challenge in the application of biotechnology to particular industrial sectors. Traditional indicators of competitive status (e.g., imports, exports, trade balances, employment) are not yet useful predictors of the U.S. position in biotechnology due to the immaturity of the industry and the unavailability of data. This assessment develops unique criteria upon which a competitive assessment could be made. The assessment 1) identified current U.S. capabilities in various applications of biotechnology and compares these capabilities to efforts underway internationally, 2) addressed trade, export, and international intellectual property issues relevant to the safe and timely commercialization of products derived from biotechnology, and 3) assessed the feasibility of cooperative ventures between U.S. firms (such as those formed in Japan and Western Europe). COMPETING ECONOMIES: AMERICA, EUROPE, AND THE PACIFIC RIM November 1991 The United States must continue efforts to develop and diffuse manufacturing technology in order to reduce its trade deficit and return to a path of increasing the standard of living of its citizens. This report examines how the economic environment of the United States can be made more conducive to improving manufacturing performance. It considers how Federal institutions, in cooperation with industry, can develop competitiveness strategies for high-tech, fast growing industries; and how trade, financial and technology policies could be combined into a strategic competitiveness policy. The assessment report cautions that, unless the United States develops a strategic approach to building competitiveness, U.S. manufacturers probably will continue to lose world market share and as a result, most U.S. workers and citizens are likely to continue to sec their standards of living erode. Requested by: Senate Committee on Finance Hon. Lloyd Bentsen, Chairman Hon. John Heinz (deceased) Hon. Charles E. Grassley Committee on Banking, Housing and House of Representatives Committee on Banking, Finance and Urban Affairs MINIATURIZING TECHNOLOGIES: CURRENT STATUS, FUTURE November 1991 New technologies are changing the nature of electronic and mechanical devices by making them smaller than ever imagined. Smaller size means lower power, reduced heat dissipation and, most importantly, higher speed. These advantages make miniaturization technology critical to the competitiveness of electronics, computers and telecommunications industries. The technologies are also essential for development of new defense and space applications, such as advanced sensors and smart weapons. This project provides an overview of current and future R&D in miniaturization technologies. It 1) profiles domestic R&D in miniaturization including achievements to date, current activities, trends, and obstacles; 2) compiles available information about foreign R&D activities in miniaturization; 3) discusses the potential for future applications and provides insights into possible rates for development and utilization; and 4) identifies policy considerations for congressional cognizance or action. Requested by. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space and Technology Hon. Robert E. Roe, then Chairman Hon. Robert S. Walker, Ranking Minority Member Hon. George E. Brown, Jr., now Chairman ADOLESCENT HEALTH November 1991 The report responds to the request of numerous Members of Congress to review the physical, emotional, and behavioral health status of contemporary American adolescents, including adolescents in groups who might be more likely to be in special need of health-related interventions; adolescents living in poverty, adolescents from racial and ethnic minority groups, Native American adolescents, and adolescents in rural areas. OTA 1) identified risk and protective factors for adolescent health problems and integrated national data in order to understand the clustering of specific adolescent health problems, 2) evaluated options in the organization of health services and technologies available to adolescents (including accessibility and financing), 3) assessed options in the conduct of national health surveys to improve collection of adolescent health statistics, and 4) identified gaps in research in the health and behavior of adolescents. Hon. John C. Stennis Hon. Mark O. Hatfield Hon. Bob Packwood Hon. Daniel J. Evans Hon. Arlen Specter Hon. Frank H. Murkowski Hon. Christopher J. Dodd Hon. Dale Bumpers Hon. Lloyd Bentsen Hon. Daniel P. Moynihan Hon. John D. Rockefeller, IV Hon. Edwaard R. Madigan Hon. Thad Cochran Hon. Barbara Mikulski PERFORMANCE STANDARDS FOR THE FOOD STAMP EMPLOYMENT February 1992 The Food Stamp Employment and Training Program (FSET) was designed to reduce food stamp outlays by increasing the employment and earnings of able-bodied food stamp recipients. Congress directed the Food and Nutrition Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (FNS) to develop performance standards for FSET. Congress also directed OTA to develop model performance standards and to compare the model standards to the standards developed by FNS. This report also analyzes successful employment and training programs. Requested by: Mandated by P.L. 100-435. AFTER THE COLD WAR: LIVING WITH LOWER DEFENSE SPENDING February 1992 The great events of 1992 ended the Cold War, banished the threat of global nuclear conflict, and freed us to redefine national security. While future U.S. defense needs are still unclear, they will surely require less money and fewer people. This first report from OTA's assessment of Technology and Defense Conversion examined the effects of the defense build-down on the civilian side of the economy. This report focuses on ways to handle the dislocation of workers and communities that is, to some degree, inevitable in the defense cutback. It opens a discussion of how defense technologies might be converted to commercial applications. Requested by: Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hon. Claiborne Pell, Chairman Committee on Labor and Human Resources Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation Hon. Ernest F. Hollings Committee on Labor and Human Resources House of Representatives Committee on Government Operations Hon. Doug Barnard, Jr., Chairman Committee on Armed Services Subcommittee on Defense, Industry and Technology Hon. Jeff Bingaman, Chairman TESTING IN AMERICAN SCHOOLS: ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS February 1992 Concern for the Nation's ability to create and adapt to new technology and maintain high living standards has stimulated myriad State, local, and Federal efforts to improve educational opportunities and outcomes. As Congress prepares to consider a wide range of education policy initiatives, it will encounter strong pressure to widen traditional definitions of educational performance and to consider new metrics for assessing individual learning potential, achievement, and school quality. This report is a comprehensive assessment of alternative measurement technologies. A focal point of the study was the appropriateness of various technologies for diagnosing individual learning needs, measuring skills acquired in school and their relation to future education or employment, and developing performance indicators for accountability of schools and school systems. Comparisons with other countries' testing strategies is also included. The assessment examines the state of research and development applicable to countering terrorism. It identifies promising lines of work for further exploitation, and assesses the effectiveness of translating successful technology into actual protection of U.S. citizens, officials, and property. In addition to obvious areas of interest, such as technologies related to explosives detection, access control, and incident response, OTA also considered possible future terrorist threats and potential means of dealing with them. Requested by: Senate Committee on Government Affairs Hon. John Glenn, Chairman Hon. William V. Roth, Ranking Minority Member Committee on Foreign Relations Hon. John F. Kerry, Chairman Hon. Mitch McConnell, Ranking Minority Member Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation Hon. Ernest Hollings, Chairman Hon. John C. Danforth, Ranking Minority Member Subcommittee on Aviation Hon. Wendell H. Ford, Chairman Hon. John McCain, Ranking Minority Member GLOBAL STANDARDS: BUILDING BLOCKS FOR THE FUTURE March 1992 Standards govern the design, operation, manufacture, and use of nearly everything that mankind produces. With the evolution of global markets, standards are even more important to facilitate international trade. Unfortunately, they may also be used as trade barriers or to gain advantage over foreign competitors. This study considered the U.S. standards setting process in light of the changing economic and technological environment. Looking across industry sectors, the study compared the U.S. system with those of other countries, particularly the European Economic Community (EEC). Requested by: House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Hon. Robert A. Roe, Chairman Hon. Robert S. Walker, Ranking Minority Member FOREST SERVICE PLANNING: ACCOMMODATING USES, PRODUCING OUTPUTS March 1992 Land planning techniques are used to assess trade-offs between available land use alternatives. Since decisions taken today can strongly affect future options for renewable resources management, it is essential that the best information is gathered and linked for effective decision making. To identify opportunities for improving renewable resource planning, OTA 1) assessed existing (e.g., FORPLAN model) and emerging (e.g., expert systems) land and resource planning technologies, 2) identified the technological and institutional constraints and opportunities for land managing agencies, particularly the U.S. Forest Service, to improve its planning process, and 3) proposed options on how products of planning processes can aid Congress in establishing policies and management objectives to guide the stewardship of the Nation's renewable resources. Requested by. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Hon. Patrick Leahy, Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture Hon. Kika de la Garza, Chairman Hon. Edward Madigan, Ranking Minority Subcommittee on Forestry, Family Farms, Hon. Harold Volkmer, Chairman, Hon. Sid Morrison, Ranking Minority Committee on the Interior Subcommittee on National Parks and Hon. Bruce Vento, Chairman FINDING A BALANCE; COMPUTER SOFTWARE, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, April 1992 The U.S. software industry accounts for over $60 billion a year in domestic sales and services; including sales of software and services abroad, its revenues exceed $80 billion a year. The software industry is facing growing controversies concerning the appropriate scope of protection for computer programs and processes within our current intellectual-property frameworks. This study focuses on the role of intellectual-property policies in protecting software, encouraging a healthy competitive environment, fostering technological progress in software and allied technologies, and promoting the public interest, in a changing international environment. OTA explores the technological changes and trends in software and computer technologies that Congress must confront in adapting our current system of intellectual property protection to meet the demands of the future. |