An update of a report on the Office of Science and Technology Policy (H/T Science Cheerleader) can be found as part of the CRS data dump I mentioned earlier this week.  Even if you’re already familiar with the Office, the historical perspective and the traditional comprehensiveness of Congressional Research Service reports makes it worth a read.  It also addresses all aspects of the office, whereas recent debates have focused, almost obsessively, on whether or not the OSTP director must also be an Assistant to the President.  Perhaps fueling the interminable debate is this passage from page 19.

“The Bush Administration OSTP Director and the longest serving science adviser, Dr. John H.
Marburger III, questioned whether or not he would have had more influence with the APST title.
He stated that holding an additional title is a trivial issue and maintains he and OSTP staff had at least the same degree of access as others in previous Administrations. Further discussions with OSTP staff indicate that OSTP Director Marburger attended the same senior staff meetings, including Cabinet meetings, as his predecessors with “Assistant to the President” titles. The APST title was not granted to Dr. Marburger, they said, because, as OSTP Director, Dr. Marburger could have been required to testify before Congress. OSTP staff indicated that the Administration was concerned that confusion might arise if Congress could require some Administration staff with “Assistant to the President” titles to testify, but not others.”

Elsewhere the report notes that specific titles and access will depend on the nature of the relationship between the President and the OSTP Director.  Personally, I think the second half of the report, focusing on the staffing and resource capacity of the Office and associated committees (Presidential Council of Advisers on Science and Technology and the National Science and Technology Council), is more important because it addresses the ability of OSTP to function effectively in its coordinating function.  I think this part of OSTP’s responsibilities is paid a lot less attention by science and technology policy communities than the Director is.  I don’t suggest that they should be given equal weight, a bit more scrutiny toward the rest of the office and how it does or does not engage with the rest of the national research enterprise could help acheive some desired policy goals.

Whatever your feelings about the office, reviewing the policy options and the historical tables will increase your understanding.  Do take a look.