ABSTRACT
This chapter examines mechanisms that build on an existing, innovative program that has provided science and technology advice to the US Congress for almost 30 years: the Congressional Science and Engineering (S&E) Fellowship Program. The Congressional S&E Fellowship Program is a collective effort supported by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) and about 35 other professional and scientific societies. The majority of fellows work for individual members of Congress. The closure of the congressional Office of Technology Assessment has forced Congress to look outside of itself for balanced and neutral science and technology analysis and synthesis. The legislative track designed for congressional fellows offers sessions on the Congressional Research Service, current science and technology issues in Congress, and an insider's view on how a congressional office operates.
