Science and Technology Legislation

Supply Chain Management

commentary
The CHIPS Act Alone Won't Secure U.S. Semiconductor Supply Chains
The implementation of the CHIPS Act shows promise for revitalizing the U.S. semiconductor manufacturing industry via investments in research and development, workforce development, and incentive programs. But executing on these ambitions could take some time and may not resolve all semiconductor supply chain risks.
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Oct 12, 2022
The Hill
Jared Mondschein @JSMondschein

Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

commentary
Difficult Choices in the Race to Innovate and Compete
Senate passage of the U.S. Innovation and Competition Act recognizes the fierce competition across the globe for leadership in key technology areas. The potential for such a momentous national investment in resources and attention brings with it options and choices for policymakers to consider.
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Jun 21, 2021
The Hill
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

commentary
Biden's Proposed New Health Agency Would Emphasize Innovation. Here's How It Might Work
President Biden has proposed a new health agency modeled on DARPA to work on groundbreaking research. This agency could pursue the kind of high-risk research that can lead to high-reward results and help get more medical treatments to market sooner.
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May 24, 2021
Los Angeles Times
Luke Muggy, Catherine C. Cohen, et al.
Science and Technology Legislation

commentary
Scientific Research Integrity Demands Transparency—the Law Should Require It Too
China pays U.S. scientists for their innovations in exchange for money and access to research laboratories and speaking and publication opportunities. They require the researchers to keep these agreements secret from their employers or the U.S. government. Perhaps it is time to codify scientific transparency into law.
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Apr 12, 2021
Cortney Weinbaum @cortney_dc
Terrorism Threat Assessment

commentary
Approaching a 'New Normal': What the Drone Attack in Venezuela Portends
The attempt to assassinate Venezuelan President Maduro showed that drones are easy to use and difficult to defend against. Commercial off-the-shelf technology is easy to acquire. It is imperative that counterterrorism specialists begin planning a robust response to the threat.
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Aug 13, 2018
Foreign Policy Research Institute
Colin P. Clarke
Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

commentary
After the March for Science: What Now?
Politicized rhetoric may imply otherwise, but scientific expertise and civic participation are not at odds with each other. As the scientific community decides how to respond to shifting political attitudes about science, it's time to focus on a long-term strategy for science policy in the United States.
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Apr 26, 2017
United Press International
Elizabeth L. Petrun Sayers, Jaime Madrigano @JMadrigano
Autonomous Vehicles

commentary
How California Is Trying to Keep Autonomous Vehicle Development on Track
California's Department of Motor Vehicles recently proposed new regulations governing the testing and deployment of autonomous vehicles. Will this help retain the state's status as a testing and deployment ground for the technology, and will it make California safer?
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Apr 10, 2017
TechCrunch
Nidhi Kalra
Cybersecurity

commentary
The False Choice at the Core of the Apple-FBI Standoff
The Apple-FBI case should spark a broader debate among technology companies concerning their role in maintaining the privacy and security balance. A starting point should be to recognize that the majority of cyberattacks are related to phishing—and a user's action—not to whether a device can be secured.
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Mar 21, 2016
The National Interest
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein
Science, Technology, and Innovation Policy

commentary
How the 'Wonks' of Public Policy and the 'Geeks' of Tech Can Get Together
Conventional wisdom says that technology innovates and disrupts, while public policy regulates and controls. What might a better integration of the commercial tech sector with the policy community look like?
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Mar 18, 2016
TechCrunch
Lillian Ablon, Andrea M. Abler
Cybersecurity

commentary
The Cost of Security in the iPhone Era
As the security on the iPhone better protects users from criminals, it also excels at keeping law enforcement from accessing the data. The dispute between the FBI and Apple over unlocking the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino attackers continues but the real debate is about whether society wants legislation that weakens iPhone security for law enforcement.
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Feb 26, 2016
U.S. News & World Report
Bradley Wilson
The Internet

commentary
The Clash of Internet Civilizations: Why Neither Side Should Prevail
The debate over net neutrality pits two opposing philosophies against each other — one pushing for the continued evolution of the Internet as an open information superhighway, the other asserting that the Internet's evolution needs to take more account of the many ways it is and will be used.
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Apr 10, 2015
Government Technology
Daniel M. Gerstein @Daniel_Gerstein

Quoted

Working from home was a key factor in employee retention [during the pandemic]. Those sectors of the economy that permitted working from home saw fewer resignations, but 30 percent of those working from home said they would consider leaving if remote work was eliminated altogether.

Brian Michael Jenkins

Senior Adviser to the RAND President

Source: The Hill

That secret agent job you might have imagined? There are days it is adrenaline-filled and even glamorous. It is also isolating and relentless. It inflicts mental and emotional costs. The consequences of ignoring those can be tragic, either individually or to the nation. Protecting the intelligence workforce can help protect us all.

Heather J. Williams

Acting Associate Director, International Security and Defense Policy Program

Source: Politico

A New Era of Major-Power Competition

Managing Escalation While Competing Effectively in the Indo-Pacific

Protests in China, Negotiating with Russia, L.A.'s 'Mansion Tax': RAND Weekly Recap

Veterans Need to Share Their Stories

Is Permanent Daylight Saving Time a Health Risk?

The Policy Currents Podcast

Helping Coastal Communities Plan for Climate Change

Managing Escalation in Crisis and War

Measuring Wellbeing to Help Communities Thrive

Assessing and Articulating the Wider Benefits of Research

Science and Technology Legislation

The CHIPS Act Alone Won't Secure U.S. Semiconductor Supply Chains

Difficult Choices in the Race to Innovate and Compete

Biden's Proposed New Health Agency Would Emphasize Innovation. Here's How It Might Work

Scientific Research Integrity Demands Transparency—the Law Should Require It Too

Approaching a 'New Normal': What the Drone Attack in Venezuela Portends

After the March for Science: What Now?

How California Is Trying to Keep Autonomous Vehicle Development on Track

The False Choice at the Core of the Apple-FBI Standoff

How the 'Wonks' of Public Policy and the 'Geeks' of Tech Can Get Together

The Cost of Security in the iPhone Era

The Clash of Internet Civilizations: Why Neither Side Should Prevail

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