Building Careers and Shaping Public Policy

28 February 2003

The Honorable Rush Holt
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington D.C. 20515

RE: Improving Technology Assessment for Congress

Dear Rep. Holt:

I am writing on behalf of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers - United States of America (IEEE-USA) to express our support for your legislation (H.R. 125) to reestablish the congressional Office of Technology Assessment.

IEEE-USA believes that it is critical for Members of Congress to have access to sound science, engineering and technology-related information pertinent to the policy issues before them. Although technical information and advice comes to Congress from a number of sources (including IEEE-USA), we believe that a restored Office of Technology Assessment has an important role to play in ensuring that Congress has an in-house capability to obtain in-depth, timely, and balanced technical and scientific assessments, including identification of technically-sound options to address important policy issues. As an agency of the legislative branch responsible first and foremost directly to the Congress, OTA would also be well positioned to communicate S&T information through mechanisms and in formats helpful to Members of Congress and on which they may be more likely to rely because of its source.

IEEE-USA is an organizational unit of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., created in 1973 to promote the careers and public-policy interests of the more than 235,000 electrical, electronics, computer and software engineers who are U.S. members of the IEEE. Please contact Chris Brantley of our staff at 202-785-0017 if we can be of any assistance in supporting your OTA legislation.

Sincerely,

James V. Leonard
2003 President, IEEE-USA