Internal Problems Confront OTA In Wake Of John Gibbons's Move To Key Position In White House

Observers see organizational and budgetary challenges as potential impediments to office's effectiveness A year after former director John H. Gibbons's departure to become White House science adviser, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is going through a difficult period of transition, reorganization, and budgetary belt- tightening. Editor's Note: Office of Technology Assessment director Roger Herdman discuss

Barton Reppert

Feb 20, 1994

Observers see organizational and budgetary challenges as potential impediments to office's effectiveness

A year after former director John H. Gibbons's departure to become White House science adviser, the congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) is going through a difficult period of transition, reorganization, and budgetary belt- tightening.

Editor's Note: Office of Technology Assessment director Roger Herdman discussed a variety of issues facing the agency during an extensive interview last month with Barton Reppert, a contributing editor of The Scientist. Following are excerpts from the interview:

On OTA's mission: "It's up to us to bring to the attention of Congress data, conclusions, and options--not recommendations, but options.... We're not a blue-sky think tank.... We need to provide practical information. And we want to be ahead. But we certainly can't afford to be looking ahead 10 or 20 years."

On OTA's priorities: "I'm keenly aware that my priorities are the priorities of...

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