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DISCUSSION 



Mr. FuQUA. Thank you very much. 



Do you feel that the Federal Coordinating Council for Science, 

 Engineering, and Technology could play a larger role in our inter- 

 national science activities, or is it too unwieldy a forum? 



Dr. Skolnikoff. I am totally out of date on its current status or 

 powers or activities. I can only say that when I was up to date ca 

 it, my answer would be a very clear no. 



Almost inevitably, with a few exceptions, when it was seized with 

 a particular issue that had an ad hoc nature, kind of one-shot 

 aspect to it, it could do very well; but on a continuing basis, con- 

 tinuing function, it acted as a coordinating body only in coordinat- 

 ing in the very dullest sense of that word, of comparing informa- 

 tion rather than doing any kind of development of programs or 

 ideas. 



Mr. FuQUA. As one of cosponsors, who helped get it through the 

 House, of the Institute for Scientific and Technological Coopera- 

 tion, I agree with you that it may not be the most opportune time 

 right now to renew that, but in lieu of that, do you think there 

 should be a lead agency in international cooperation under the cur- 

 rent mechanisms that exist? 



Dr. Skolnikoff. I think the only way that that could work to do 

 some of the goals, at least, that were intended to be achieved by 

 that agency is for OSTP and 0MB to take the lead. If they took the 

 lead— that is, the policy lead, and a very substantial one— but if 

 they did, it would be possible to develop a lead agency among the 

 agencies. But I really doubt that. I think the structure and the im- 

 petus and the support has to come from those two bodies. 



Now, that does not mean that they have an operating role in the 

 programs; it does mean that they have to both be willing to provide 

 the support, the pressure, and the funds that are required, and 

 then I think the agencies can do it on their own with the kind of 

 rough coordination that exists all the time. 



Mr. FuQUA. What about agencies such as OSTP, State, and, say, 

 the National Science Foundation? 

 Dr. Skolnikoff. Combined together? 



Mr. FuQUA. No, not combined together but in a larger role than 

 they currently have. As we discussed yesterday — and you are famil- 

 iar with OSTP — it is not a mission agency. 

 Dr. Skolnikoff. No, it is not. 



Mr. FuQUA. And we should not bog that agency down with day- 

 to-day operating roles, so to speak. It is more an advisory capacity, 

 really, for the President, and in helping him coordinate overall 

 policy in science and technology. 



As one who worked very closely during the Ford administration 

 in trying to establish that Office, we went to great lengths not to 

 make it a mission agency. That puts in an inherent conflict of in- 

 terest with the other agencies that it is advising about. But certain- 

 ly as a coordinator of the policies of the administration or the 

 President — and an example is some of the initiatives that have re- 

 sulted in the Economic Summits that have been held and agree- 

 ments that have been signed— certainly the OSTP had some role in 



