Aside from the more formal contacts with advisory groups, it is essential that the strategic assessment staff be aware of the interests, aspirations, activities and writings of representative groups in the world outside the bureaucracy and Capitol Hill. For this reason, both OSPA and its Congressional counterpart should maintain close links with state and local governments and with such non-government sectors as industry, labor, consumer and environmental groups. Finally, both OSPA and the Congressional staff, but especially the former, should keep apprised of the activities of long-range assessment functions being performed in other industrially-advanced countries. Aside from the usefulness of exchanges with respect to methodology and substance, it will be prudent to exchange advance warnings of major new shifts in longrange national economic and social policies. ANNEX I PROPOSED ORGANIZATIONAL PLACEMENT OF "STRATEGIC CHOICE ASSESSMENT GROUP" Considering the objectives and functions of the "Strategic Choic Assessment Group" it is vital that organizational arrangements for such a group meet the following criteria: 1. The group should be isolated from political pressures but sensitive to differing political views in arriving at proposals for alternative policies and actions. 2. The group should not be identified solely with one particular branch of Government or segment of the public. (1.e. Executive and legislative branch, industry, universities, State and local. governments, etc.) 3. The group should be housed in a parent organization which has continuity beyond the term of the incumbent President or Congress. 4. The group--through its parent organizatior--must have "clout" whereby its proposals for alternative policies and actions will be seriously weighed in the executive and legislative branch of Government. Such "clout" is enhanced if the organization is strong and is directed by prestigious individuals. 5. The group must have access to information on strategic choices being developed in the various Federal departments and agencies and outside the Government. Commission on National Policy Choices The group should be placed under an independent commission whose membership would reflect broad representation from various sectors. The members would be comprised of the following: Executive Branch Chairman, Council of Economic Advisers Legislative Branch Chairman, Joint Economic Committee Ranking Minority Member, Joint Economic Committee Comptroller General of the United States (who would serve both as the head of GAO and as a member of the Technology Assessment Advisory Board) Other Groups Five representatives from: Industry Universities Labor Consumer groups Non-Federal governments (e.g. Council of Governments) The President would appoint the five members from outside the Federal Government for a term of 6 years. The Commission would prescribe broad policies to be followed by the group and provide guidance and advice to it. The Commission would be required to publish such staff reports on policy and action choices as are periodically developed by the group and may append its views as it considers appropriate to such reports. An annual report is to be made by the Commission to the President and the Congress. Legislation establishing the Commission would authorize and direct Federal departments and agencies to assist the Commission. The President would be required to report annually to the Congress on actions taken with respect to the group's proposals for alternative policies and actions. - 2 INSTITUTE FOR CONGRESS OFFICIALLY ORGANIZED GRIFFITHS, RUCKELSHAUS HEAD TRUSTEES WASHINGTON.- Oficial announcement was made this weekend of the formation of the Institute for Congress, a nonpartisan research organization devoted exclusively to providing both houses of Congress with timely and independent policy analysis of major policy issues confronting the United States. Named as chairman and vice chairman, respectively, of the Institute's 15-person board of trustees were Martha W. Griffiths, former 10-term member of Congress from Michigan, and William D. Ruckelshaus of Indiana, the first Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and subsequently Deputy Attorney General of the United States. "Congress and the entire American soclety," Mrs. Grimths and Mr. Ruckelshaus said in a joint statement, "stand at a critical Juncture. We have exhausted our 'margins of error' in dealing with complex and increasingly technical national policy choices. It is not sumcient for Congress to wait for Executive Branch initiatives, or to entrust analysis of vital national policy choices to its fragmented committee system alone." "We fully believe," Mrs. Griffiths and Mr. Ruckelshaus said, "that Congress cannot hope to become a full, equal partner of the Executive in formulating national policy unless it has available to it superior policy analysis, cutting across committee Jurisdictional lines, that lays the factual groundwork, names the options for action, and presents a clear case for alternative policies." The Institute for Congress trustees will begin an immediate search for initial funding ($11.5 million for the first three years) to establish an interdisciplinary policy analysis staff. In addition to experienced professionals from the legislative and executive branches, the Institute will seek to recruit from the academic and private research community individuals or outstanding Intellectual achievement and ability. A five-year experimental phase is envisaged, building to & professional staff of 80 persons with $22.5 million funding over the five years. Initial funding, Mrs. Griffiths and Mr. Ruckelshaus said, would be sought frem private philanthropic sources to provide the Institute with a significant measure of independence in its formative period. If the experiment is successful, it is anticipated that future funding for the Institute would come primarily from research contracts made with the Congress. Preceding official establishment of the Institute for Congress with its board of trustees this autumn, a bipartisan organizing committee had been at work for three years, testing the idea and possible implementation with the Democratic and Republican leaders of both the Senate and House and a broad range of rentor and junior members of both houses and parties. While the Institute's trustees are all fu non-governmental positions, the majority and minority leaders of both the Senate and Houre will be invited to serve as ex officio members of the board. In addition. a Congressional Advisory Council will be established to enable most of the key legislative committees to take an active role in shaping the Institute's research agenda. Subject to the advice of the Congressional Advisory Council, the Institute expects to place its early emphasis on problems of national security, environment and resources, health and welfare, and the social and economic implications of new techno!ogy. In addition to Mrs. Griffiths and Mr. Ruckelshaus, the members of the Institute's board of trustees are: Lucy Wilson Benson of Massachusetts, presently Secretary of Human Services for the Commonwealth and former president of the League of Women Voters of the U.S. William D. Eberle of Idaho, president of the Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association and former Special Trade Representative for the President. Alton Frye of Tennessee, Senior Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations, and former administrative assistant to Senator Edward W. Brooke. Ben W. Heineman of Illinois, president and chief executive officer of Northwest Industries, Inc. Craig Hosmer of California, former U.S. Representative (1953-75), ranking minority member of the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy, and presently president of the American Nuclear Energy Council. Leon Jaworski of Texas, Houston attorney and former Special Prosecutor and head of the Watergate Special Prosecution Force. Gordon J. F. MacDonald of New Hampshire, director of the Environmental Studies Program at Dartmouth College and former member of the President's Council on Environmental Quality. Harry C. McPherson, Jr., Washington attorney and former general counsel of the Senate Democratic Polley Committee and Special Counsel to President Johnson. Clarence Mitchell of Maryland, director of the Washington Bureau of the NAACP since 1950 and member of the Maryland Bar. Richard B. Ogilvie of Illinois, Chicago attorney and former Governor of Illinois. William B Spong, Jr. of Virginia, former U.S. Senator, presently Fort mouth attorney and president of the Virginia Bar Associa tion. Cyrus R. Vance of New York, former Depu ty Secretary of Defense. Secretary of the Army, and Special Counsel for the Senate Armed Services Preparedners Investigation Subcommittee, presently president of the New York City Bar Association. An additional board member, presently on leave for government service, is William T. Coleman, Jr. of Pennsylvania, now U.S. Secretary of Transportation. The members of the organizing committee for the Institute for Congress, who laid the groundwork for the Institute between 1972 and the fall of 1975, were Messrs. Frye, MacDonald, McPherson, Vance, and James R. Killian, former Science Adviser to President Eisenhower and chairman of the M.I.T. Corporation. The Institute for Congress has been incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia and application made for federal income tax exemption under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Reprinted in Congressional Record, Daily Edition, February 5, 1976. p. S1365 |