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Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress
This report briefly outlines an array of science and technology (S&T) policy issues that may come before the 115th Congress. It breaks down selected issues into nine categories: overarching issues, agriculture, biomedical research and development, defense, energy, environment and natural resources, homeland security, information technology, physical and material sciences, and space.
Advanced Gene Editing: CRISPR-Cas9
This report describes a new gene editing technology, known as CRISPR-Cas9, with the potential to revolutionize genetic engineering and the biotechnology industry. The report then provides information on the potential economic benefits of the technology and identifies some issues for congressional consideration, including the regulation of current and future products, national security concerns, and ethical and societal issues surrounding the use of the technology.
Science and Technology Issues in the 115th Congress
This report briefly outlines an array of science and technology (S&T) policy issues that may come before the 115th Congress. Given the rapid pace of S&T advancement and its importance in many diverse public policy issues, S&T-related issues not discussed in this report may come before the 115th Congress. The selected issues are grouped into 9 categories: Overarching S&T Policy Issues, Agriculture, Biomedical Research and Development, Defense, Energy, Environment and Natural Resources, Homeland Security, Information Technology, Physical and Material Sciences, and Space. Each of these categories includes concise analysis of multiple policy issues. The material presented in this report should be viewed as illustrative rather than comprehensive. Each section identifies CRS reports, when available, and the appropriate CRS experts to contact for further information and analysis.
The President's Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Request for the National Science Foundation
This report discuses the Trump Administration's 2018 fiscal year budget request for the National Science Foundation which proposed significant funding cuts across the agency's major research, education, and construction accounts. Overall, the request includes $6.653 billion for NSF, $819 million (11%) below the FY2017 enacted amount of $7.472 billion (P.L. 115-31).
Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP): History and Overview
This report is about the history, role, and function of the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) that exists to advise the President on matters related to science, engineering, and technology. It includes charts outlining both historical and current funding for the OSTP and past and present OSTP advisers organized by President.
CRISPR Gene Editing Research in Embryos Generates Scientific and Ethics Debate
This report discusses the results of a recent experiment on the use of gene modification for decreasing the chance of children having hypertrophic cardiomyopathy which was done through the use of CRISPR to modify the genes of human embryos at a private facility. Restrictions on the use of public funds for such studies, a brief explanation of the science, and ethical concerns are discussed.
The National Science Foundation: Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations and Funding History
This report outlines the National Science Foundation's 2017 fiscal year appropriations request and compares it with past years.The Trump Administration is seeking $6.653 billion for NSF in FY2018, an $819 million decrease (-11%) from the FY2017 enacted level of $7.472 billion.
The National Science Foundation: Fiscal Year 2018 Appropriations and Funding History
This report describes selected items from the Trump Administration's FY2018 budget request for the National Science Foundation (NSF) and tracks legislative action on FY2018 appropriations to the agency. It also details selected measures proposed in the 115th Congress to authorize increases in NSF appropriations limits and presents information on historical funding for the agency.
Defense Science and Technology Funding
This report provides an overview of the portion of Department of Defense (DOD) research, development, testing, and evaluation (RDT&E) funding referred to as Defense Science and Technology (Defense S&T). It provides perspectives on the role of Defense S&T in supporting U.S. defense capabilities, historical funding levels, recent funding trends, and approaches to determining how much the federal government should invest in Defense S&T, particularly in basic research.
NASA Appropriations and Authorizations: A Fact Sheet
This report provides data on past, current, and proposed appropriations for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. No bills have yet been introduced in the 115th Congress proposing future-year authorizations of NASA appropriations.
Federal Quantum Information Science: An Overview
This report provides an overview of quantum information science (QIS) technologies, including examples of their existing and future applications; brief summaries of funding and selected initiatives in research and development (R&D) in the United States and elsewhere around the world; a description of U.S. congressional activity; and a discussion of related policy considerations.
Federal Prize Competitions
This report discusses federal prize competitions, which are a tool for incentivizing the achievement of scientific and technological innovation by offering monetary and non-monetary benefits (e.g., recognition) to competition participants. Prize competitions have a long history of use in both the public and private sectors, but have gained popularity in recent years. This report describes the background and current trends of federal prize competitions, potential policy considerations, and legislation in the 115th Congress.
Quantum Information Science: Applications, Global Research and Development, and Policy Considerations
This report provides an overview of quantum information science (QIS) technologies: sensing and metrology, communications, and computing and simulation. It also includes examples of existing and potential future applications; brief summaries of funding and selected R&D initiatives in the United States and elsewhere around the world; a description of U.S. congressional activity; and a discussion of related policy considerations.
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