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The US's science and technology policy system emphasizes defense (military) spending, industrialized world health and agricultural issues, basic research in the natural sciences, space exploration, and conventional energy. The importance of basic research to achieve national goals led tothe establishment of the government-funded National Science Foundation (NSF) to supportscientific research for societal benefit, including economic growth. Under this framework, government supported science while industry developed technology. With the exception of spinoffs to commercial applications from mission-oriented government R&D (defense, space exploration, etc.), this relatively simple model drove U.S. technology and economic growth policies.
The ATP in the United States and comparable programs elsewhere focus on the early phases of technology research. Such generic technology research funding by industry is often inadequate due to the market failures associated with high technical risk, long expected time to commercialization, and highly uncertain scope and magnitude of potential markets.
NIST: ATP (50% cost sharing with consortia; direct R&D costs for single firms) — $220M; NIST: laboratory research (some cost-shared consortia) — $260M; some ATP projects In-kind support (CRADAs) and direct funding (SBIR) for projects with individual firms
Table 3: R&D tax treatment in the US
| Income tax deduction | Income tax credit |
|---|---|
|
current expenditures: 100% (or over five years on a straight-line basis) capital expenditures: Modified Accelerated Cost Recovery System; some acceleration for R&D |
base: R&D current spending in excess of the product of the ratio of R&D current spending to gross receipts for the period 1984 to 1988 and the average of gross receipts for the four preceding years rate: 20% annual limits on tax credit earned three-year carry-back; 15-year carry-forward taxable: reduces base for current deduction |
Source: http://www.fin.gc.ca/resdev/why2_e.html
(Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs) OES is the Department of State's focal point for coordination and oversight of U.S. government international environment, science and technology activities.
To perform its functions, in FY-1995 OES had 139 full-time employees, who are a mixture of personnel on special appontiments from other institutions/departments. OES is also the principal interface in Washington for the full-time Environment, Science, and Technology (EST) Officers and Fisheries Officers at U.S. diplomatic missions abroad. OES assures that U.S. Government international EST considerations and activities are integrated into U.S. foreign policy and that they receive appropriate consideration, focus, and emphasis in foreign policy deliberations and conclusions.
As reflected in the following tables and the appendix, during FY-1995 there were 805 major S&T agreements in force between the U.S. and 78 other countries. OES manages government-to-government S&T agreements, including umbrella agreements, which are general in nature and address broad S&T areas within which the parties agree to support more specific undertakings. Some are funded through special appropriations. The majority of U.S. S&T agreements are below the umbrella level, are administered directly by U.S. government technical agencies, and involve several diverse technical fields.
Federal Relations and Information Policy: A primary goal of the Federal Relations and Information Policy program is to influence legislative action that is favorable to the research library and higher education communities. To achieve this goal, the program helps ARL members keep abreast of the legislative landscape, as well as rapidly changing issues, players, regulations, and community priorities. The program staff track the activities of state and federal legislatures as well as regulatory and government agencies in North America and abroad. The program analyzes, responds to, and seeks to influence public initiatives on information, intellectual property, and Telecommunications policies. In addition, it promotes funding for numerous agencies and national institutions and advances ARL members' interests on these issues.
Centre for Global Partnership (CGP)'s Intellectual Exchange Program promotes collaborative research and dialogue among scholars and policymakers to encourage global partnerships between Japan, the United States, and other countries of the world. The Intellectual Exchange Program funds projects that involve policy-oriented research conducted by universities and research institutions in the United States and Japan to examine issues of common concern, to share insight and knowledge with colleagues in other countries, and to present new, collaboratively developed policy recommendations.