ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the pros and cons of creating a small, permanent institution within the US The permanent staff would be responsible for refining such requests, and sometimes consolidating multiple requests, and for making arrangements for an outside organization to perform a study. A standing contractual arrangement would be put in place with each approved organization so that there would be no contracting delay when a specific study was commissioned. Organizations interested in being considered could be required to prepare a proposal outlining their qualifications and areas of expertise, including resumes of potential participants. The bipartisan, bicameral committee would receive an operating budget sufficient to cover the costs of its staff and to fund at least a small number of studies each year. Much of this expertise is maintained in part through research support from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and other federal funding sources.
