1658 



Author^ s Reassessment as of January 1976 



In early 1976, 2 years after preparing the Scientists Abroad study, 

 author Genevieve J. Knezo commented on it as follows: 



— That exchange programs are becoming an increasingly impor- 

 tant tool of U.S. foreign policy is evidenced by the recent prolifera- 

 tion of bilateral scientific and technical agreements signed by the 

 United States. Most of these provide almost exclusively for 

 exchange. These developments foreshadow the future importance 

 of related considerations: an enhanced desire by other nations to 

 share in the benefits of U.S. scientific and technical excellence, an 

 ever-accelerating requirement for the United States to recognize 

 and share in the technical knowledge and breakthroughs of its 

 technologically advanced neighbors, and the enlargement of the 

 scope and objectives of foreign policy to include consideration of 

 more substantive scientific and technical issues. 



CONTINUING NEED FOR BETTER DIRECTION AND COORDINATION 



— It seems abundantly clear from the study that if exchange 

 programs are to meet more eft'ectively the requirements of a 

 world increasingly dependent upon science and technology, better 

 direction, review, and coordination of exchange programs will be 

 needed. Attention is also drawn in the study to the need to 

 consider the merits of a multilateral alternative for some pro- 

 grams. It was also noted that complementing agencies do not 

 always tell the Congress about many of the deficiencies of these 

 programs. 



— The issue of the need for better formulation and coordination 

 of foreign policy with a scientific and technical content was raised 

 in the National Academy of Sciences study, Science and Technology 

 in Presidential Policymaking, pp. 43-45.^^^ The authors of the 

 report recommended a strong role for the proposed Presidential 

 Council for Science and Technology in ". . . areas of foreign 

 policy strongly affected by scientific and technical considerations." 



— The number of science and technology agreements with other 

 nations is increasing. Legislative interest in overseeing these 

 agreements and their content similarly is increasing. See: "Joint 

 Commissions with Foreign Countries," statement of the Hon. 

 Lee H. Hamilton, Congressional Record, January 23, 1975: 

 E146-E148. 



— Rep. Zablocki has proposed creation of a Joint Committee 

 on National Security to reassert the legislative role and respon- 

 sibility in the conduct of foreign policy. (Sec Congressional Record, 

 January 14, 1975: H39-H40.f 



— Several issues which were raised in the study are now being 

 considered by the agencies involved. These include: 



— the'pros and cons of USIA field administration and over- 

 sight, as contrasted with educational affairs officer oversight, 



218 National Academv of Sciences, Science and Technnloav in Presidential Policymakim: A Proposal, Rpport 

 of the Ad Hoc Conoiiittee on Science and Technology, Wiishington, B.C., June 1974, 06 pp. (This study was 

 prepared in part for use by CoJigress in ils consideration of reestablishing an executive brunch science ad- 

 visory ollice.) 



