I. Introduction 



The purpose of this study is to shed light on the processes l)y wliich 

 the Congress secures information from the scientific or technological 

 community in order to decide political issues with a substantial scien- 

 tific or technological content. The assumption is that a set of detailed 

 historical accounts of congressional decisions, selected to provide a 

 variety of illustrations of different subjects, problems, procedures, and 

 outcomes, will aiford useful guidance about how the Congress obtains 

 and uses scientific mformation, and how to strengthen these processes. 



The conceptual framework : DechiomnaMng in Congress 



The functions of an elected legislature in making decisions on scien- 

 tific and technological issues are assumed to include the following: 



Balance operational goals of the Government with the phil- 

 osophical goals of the society being governed. 



Maintain an overall view of the present condition and trends 

 of society, relative to the operational goals. 



Identify various sets of available options for correcting de- 

 ficiencies or to exploit opportunities, so as to bring the real condi- 

 tion of society closer to its declared or accepted goals. 



Establish a priority among the various sets of options, and 

 within each set, within the limits of (1) available resources, (2) 

 attention capacity of the decisionmakerSj (3) technological feasi- 

 bility, and (4) political feasibility. Political feasibility, in partic- 

 ular, is related to such social motivations or criteria as the ex- 

 pressed desires of the public and the total cost/effectiveness 

 potential of the action under consideration. 



Congressional management of issues in process 



Before an issue can be settled in the yes-or-no terms of the political 

 decision process, subsidiary issues must first be cleared away. This 

 usually means achieving agreement that one alternative is better than 

 the various other possibilities entertained. Or, in the contemporary 

 jargon : the preferred alternative is that which best satisfies the cost/ 

 l3enefit criteria drawn from the value systems of the combination of 

 individual decisionmakers participating in the process. 



Congressional decisions are usually structured by committees that 

 specialize to some degi'ee in the subject matter of the decision. These 

 committees also serve as focal centers for the receipt of formal and 

 informal communications from agencies and outside groups interested 

 in the issue, of testimony from authoritative or interested sources, of 

 published comment, and of formal and informal expressions from 

 other Members of Congress interested in the issue. When the two 

 Houses of Congress arrive at different legislative decisions, the device 

 of the conference conunittee is used to mediate the difference — to 

 search for a middle ground acceptable to both. Modification of the 

 legislation within limits is negotiable in the conference process. 



(473) 



