Office of Technology Assessment, U.S.

The U.S. Office of Technology Assessment (OTA, operated 1973–1995) was an agency of the U.S. Congress that analyzed public policy issues having significant scientific and technological components. Like its sister agencies, the Congressional Research Service (part of the Library of Congress), the General Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Office), and the Congressional Budget Office, OTA provided information and analysis to members of Congress to support their legislative and oversight responsibilities. Because OTA studies were written to explain complex technical topics to a nontechnical audience, often addressed controversial topics, and (unless classified) were made available to the press and the public, the agency had a major role in informing and educating the public, both within the United States and internationally. By the time it was ...