§ 471. — Congressional findings and declaration of purpose.
[Laws in effect as of January 24, 2002]
[Document not affected by Public Laws enacted between
January 24, 2002 and December 19, 2002]
[CITE: 2USC471]
TITLE 2--THE CONGRESS
CHAPTER 15--OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
Sec. 471. Congressional findings and declaration of purpose
The Congress hereby finds and declares that:
(a) As technology continues to change and expand rapidly, its
applications are--
(1) large and growing in scale; and
(2) increasingly extensive, pervasive, and critical in their
impact, beneficial and adverse, on the natural and social
environment.
(b) Therefore, it is essential that, to the fullest extent possible,
the consequences of technological applications be anticipated,
understood, and considered in determination of public policy on existing
and emerging national problems.
(c) The Congress further finds that:
(1) the Federal agencies presently responsible directly to the
Congress are not designed to provide the legislative branch with
adequate and timely information, independently developed, relating
to the potential impact of technological applications, and
(2) the present mechanisms of the Congress do not and are not
designed to provide the legislative branch with such information.
(d) Accordingly, it is necessary for the Congress to--
(1) equip itself with new and effective means for securing
competent, unbiased information concerning the physical, biological,
economic, social, and political effects of such applications; and
(2) utilize this information, whenever appropriate, as one
factor in the legislative assessment of matters pending before the
Congress, particularly in those instances where the Federal
Government may be called upon to consider support for, or management
or regulation of, technological applications.
(Pub. L. 92-484, Sec. 2, Oct. 13, 1972, 86 Stat. 797.)
Short Title
Section 1 of Pub. L. 92-484 provided: ``That this Act [enacting this
chapter and amending section 1862 of Title 42, The Public Health and
Welfare] may be cited as the `Technology Assessment Act of 1972'.''
Termination of Office of Technology Assessment
Pub. L. 104-53, title I, Secs. 113, 114, Nov. 19, 1995, 109 Stat.
526, provided that:
``Sec. 113. Upon enactment of this Act [Nov. 19, 1995] all employees
of the Office of Technology Assessment for 183 days preceding
termination of employment who are terminated as a result of the
elimination of the Office and who are not otherwise gainfully employed
may continue to be paid by the Office of Technology Assessment at their
respective salaries for a period not to exceed 60 calendar days
following the employee's date of termination or until the employee
becomes otherwise gainfully employed whichever is earlier. Any day for
which a former employee receives a payment under this section shall be
counted as Federal service for purposes of determining entitlement to
benefits, including retirement, annual and sick leave earnings, and
health and life insurance. A statement in writing to the Director of the
Office of Technology Assessment or his designee by any such employee
that he was not gainfully employed during such period or the portion
thereof for which payment is claimed shall be accepted as prima facie
evidence that he was not so employed.
``Sec. 114. Notwithstanding the provisions of the Federal Property
and Administrative Services Act of 1949, as amended [now chapters 1 to
11 of Title 40, Public Buildings, Property, and Works and title III of
the Act of June 30, 1949 (41 U.S.C. 251 et seq.)], or any other
provision of law, upon the abolition of the Office of Technology
Assessment, all records and property of the Office (including the Unix
system, all computer hardware and software, all library collections and
research materials, and all photocopying equipment), shall be under the
administrative control of the Architect of the Capitol. Not later than
December 31, 1995, the Architect shall submit a proposal to transfer
such records and property to appropriate support agencies of the
Legislative Branch which request such transfer, and shall carry out such
transfer subject to the approval of the Committees on Appropriations of
the House of Representatives and the Senate.''
Section Referred to in Other Sections
This section is referred to in section 472 of this title.
