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....... .. TO: .. ... FROM: SUBJECT: I ,i-1~ .. ~, t.{ ~ .. -------------Office of Technology Assessment STAFF MEMO June 23, 1992 New Research Assist~ats Jack Gibbons, Direct Welcome to OTA The Office of Technology Assessment was created nearly two decades ago to help the elected representatives of the Congressanticipate the impacts and opportunities arising out of technological change. Our greatest intellectual challenge is to understand the nature and dynamics of technology as it affects, and is affected by, societal priorities, and to use that understanding to inform Congress about its options. Our greatest political challenge is to be a vital part of the public policy process, yet not take political or ideological sides in politics. In other words, we exist to help inform and elevate the political debate, but not to advocate. Therefore, we walk a tightrope between invested interests, political parties, and other folks who do not necessarily see eye-to-eye. Our position is unique, and uniquely stimulating and rewarding. As a research assistant (RA), you wlll play many key roles in the execution of a project. Your energy, intellectual engagement and fresh insights are vital to the project and the agency as a whole. Our greatest asset is a thoughtful and devoted staff, and we will highly value your many contributions. A group of RAs volunteered to create this Handbook for you, and I think they have done the Office and you a great service. It is a good example of the spirit of mutual support that helps set OTA apart as a place to work, contribute, and grow. The Handbook is not an official OTA document, but a gift to you from your RA peers here. The RAs Handbook, along with the OTA Employee Handbook and introductory materials from OTA's TIS and the Information Center, is intended to ease you .. into this environment providing you with a handrail for your first steps into OTA. A further source of information is the OTA staff; I think you will find that your best reference sources are the people around you.
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FOREWORD Welcome to the Office of Technology Assessment and congratulations on being hired as a Research Assistant/ Analyst (RA). You are beginning a job that should prove challenging, interesting and rewarding. However, the first days in any job can be confusing and in some ways overwhelming. A group of RA's, drawing from our own experiences, have put this book together to help you get oriented to OTA Keep in mind that this book is not an authoritative review of OTA policy and {>rocedures and should not replace or usurp advice or instructions provided by your ProJect Director or Program Manager. It is meant to provide you with some basic tools to do your job and make your arrival at OTA easier. It is likely that you will have questions and concerns throughout rour time at OTA You can often find the answers you are seeking by turning to other RA s. Although we are a diverse group, we share many common experiences. In many cases we form the best support network for eachother. We look forward to working with you and getting to know you. Again, welcome to OTA Sharon Burke (E&M) John Evans (E&M) Helene Kirwan-Taylor (E&M) Jan Linsenmeyer (O&E) MyTon(O&E) Ellen McDermott {BA) Ginger Roehrig (BA) Suzie Rubin (BA) Katy Torres (F&RR) Jessica Wolin (F&RR) June 1992
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TABLE OF CONTENTS LIFE AT OTA OTA ............................................................................................................................................................. pg. 04 Formal Orientation .................................................................................................................... pg. 08 Benefits .......................................................................................................................................... pg. 10 Sister Agencies ............................................................................................................................ pg. 13 Capitol Hill Police ......... '! ..................................................................................................................................... pg. 19 THE BASICS Project Structure .................................................................................................................................................................... pg .. 19 Your Computer .................................................................................................................................................................. pg. 20 Your Phone ................................................................................................................................................................................... pg. 26 Information Center ............................................................................................................................................................................... pg. 33 libraries .......................................................................................................................................................... pg .. 39 Writing for OTA ................................................................................................................................... pg. 42 MISCELLANEOUS Contractors ................................................................................................................................................ pg .. 45 Introduction to D.C .............................................................................................................................................. pg. 49 1..a,yout of OTA ........................................................................................ .............................................................. pg. 52 Glossary................................................................................................................................................................. pg .. 54
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The Congress created OTA in order to secure: ". compete.nt, unbiased information concerning the physical, biological, economic, social, and political effects of technological applications particularly in those instances where the Federal Government may be called upon to consider support for, or management or regulation of; technological applications."
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.. OTA Officially speaking ... The history of OTA can be gleaned from many sources throughout the agency, but it is easiest to borrow, with a few marks deleted and others added, from the fact sheet found in the ~fficial employee handbook. At this writing, all RA's are older than OTA (born in 1972), but this won't be true for much longer! If you are in need of an easy (and short) description of OTA to give to your family, friends, professors, acquaintances, etc., use the following: "OTA is a nonpartisan analytical support agency created by Congress, to serve Congress, in 1972. OTA's job is to provide congressional committees (you can think of them as our clients) with objective analyses of the emerging, difficult, and often highly technical issues of our time. OTA identifies the probable beneficial and adverse impacts of the applications of technology and a range of public policy options pertaining to those impacts" {OTA Brochure). OTA NEVER tries to tell Congress what to do; we try to narrow arguments,.make findings, and then offer a menu of choices and possibilities. OTA typically delivers 20 or more major analyses every year. Most of OTA's work is concentrated on comprehensive assessments that take one to two years (in theory, but sometimes longer in practice) to complete. As an RA, you are usually hired for the length of a project, after which you may choose to leave OTA or try to work on another project and have your temporary appointment extended. OTA also draws on past and current work to provide a variety of responses to meet more immediate congressional needs, such as briefings, testimony, and Background Papers which don't contain policy issues and options Two important acronyms associated with OTA are TAB and TAAC. The Technology Assessment Board (TAB) is a 12-member bipartisan congressional board consisting of six Senators and six Representatives that governs OTA (look for the members on OTA's Page4
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letterhead). TAB members are chosen by the majority and minority leadership of the House and Senate. The chair and vice chair alternate between the Senate and the House in succeeding Congresses. TAB appoints OTA's director, who is the chief executive officer and a nonvoting Board member. Dr. John H. Gibbons (Jack) has served as director since June 1979. The Technology Assessment Advisory Council (TAAC) consists of 10 distinguished individuals from the public and private sectors who assist TAB in advising OTA. The Comptroller General of the United States (head of GAO) and the Director of the Congressional Research Service (CRS) (sister agencies of OTA) serve as statutory members of TAAC, and the. other 10 members are appointed by TAB. OTA has an in-house research staff of approximately 200 permanent and temporary (this is you) people whose skills span the fields of physical, chemical, biological, political, and social sciences; mathematics; engineering; law; and medicine. Among the RA's and other OTA staff you will also find scholars of the humanities. OT A's resources also include administrative staff in the Director's Office, in each program ( of which there are 9), and the Operations division that oversees all the nonresearch offices. What is it like to work at OTA? On a day-to-day basis, OTA provides a very casual, supportive, and relaxed working environment. People tend to be pretty easy-going, friendly, and helpful. Your fellow employees are some of your best sources of information related not only to your work but to a world of other things, including graduate school, which many RA's have their sights set on. There are two immediately obvious perks of OTA employment: on-site parking and a somewhat casual dress code. The latter can be particularly beneficial to recent college graduates who are desperately trying to get used to wearing-suits, ties, heels, stockings, etc. However, it is important to find out what is expected of you within your program. The best Page5
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advice is look at what the people in your program wear and you'll have a fairly good idea of what you should ( and can) wear. If you are unsure, ask your OA, project director or Program Manager. Remember that everyone dresses up to go to "the Hill" or for meetings. If you ever thought you did a very thorough research paper in college, just wait until you have been here for several months! In some ways, OTA has an academic work atmosphere and you are constantly learning new things. During your stay you will certainly become an expert on referencing, formatting, deciphering editors' comments, tracking down sources, running searches on the various databases available through the information center, and reading through endless amounts of literature and material. While doing your research, don't hesitate to ask other OTA staff, within and outside of your program, for information. Frequently, someone at OTA knows something about your subject, or knows someone else who does, and can save you a lot of time and effort. Which brings us to OTA staff. There are about 200 people working for OTA--get to know them. While at first you may only get to know the folks in your program, it is important to get to know people outside your program and division. OTA has many agency-wide events that encourage interaction among staff. Of course, the place to start is probably the Information Center where almost everyone spends a fair amount of quality time! OTA sponsors holiday parties, an annual chili cook-off and summer picnic, a softball team (the Tech Sox), an ultimate frisbee team (Discotech) and other functions. Attend, eat, drink, meet, and greet! The RA's have their own group --RAISE ( the meaning of which is open to interpretation) which meets every so often to discuss issues of importance to RA's -be they work, career, or socially-related. The group usually meets at lunchtime. The best way to end this section is to say that working at OTA is a unique experience and at the RA level it is a good place to spend a couple of years. Page 6
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CIVIL DEFENSE INSTRUCTIONS U.S. CAPITOLHOUSE AND SENATE OFFICE BUILDINGSBOTANIC GARDEN ATTACK WARNING WHAT TO DO Immediately go to the protected shelter areas-the best protection is located in the tunnels and sub-basements. When instructed by the Shelter managers go to Fallout Protected areas. Shelter for the Botanic Garden is at the Rayburn House Office Building garage. If not on Capitol Hill when an Attack Warning sounds, go immediately to the nearest Government building or take the best available cover. Listen to the radio for emergency information and instructions. ATTACK WITHOUT WARNING In case of an Attack Without Warning, the only signal may be a FLASH ANO BLAST. Take Cover Instantly away from windows. Shield the eyes and body. When the blast wave passes, move promptly to shelter. SHELTER INSTRUCTIONS After taking shetter, remain there until officially told it is safe to leave. The Capitol Hill Emergency Self-Protection Organization, directed by the Architect of the Capitol, will coordinate emergency opera tions. Building Superintendents are responsible in the buildings they normally supervise and they have additional information as to areas offering the best protection. Page? George M. White Archite~t of the Capitol Coordinator of Civil Defense
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.. FORMAL ORIENTATION Office Administrator Each program in OTA has an office administrator (OA) who, among numerous other duties, plays an important role in the orientation process for new employees. While the position OA's take in this process varies across programs, some general guidelines do exist. During your first week, your OA will assign you an office, a set of keys, and provide you with a general orientation to your program. S/he will also give you information about parking, which is currently free. Kevin McNair in Operations-Administrative Services on the 5th floor is currently the person to see for parking registration and stickers. Cards to open the parking garage are currently being issued by Holly Gwin, General Counsel to OTA, (also on the 5th floor), but check with your OA first. In addition to parking, your OA will briefly inform you of annual/sick leave and how to obtain your Senate I.D. These are covered in more depth by Personnel. Additionally, your OA should explain the travel reimbursement policy to you and be able to provide you with the necessary forms. Your OA has METRO cards which may be used for any work-related trips you may need to make using public transportation. Your OA or your program's systems specialist will be the first person to introduce you to your computer. She/he will place your name on the E-mail list and will let you know about the orientation classes that the Information Center and Telecommunications and Information Systems (TIS) offer. Finally, your OA is probably the best source of general information in your program -when in doubt, just ask. Personnel Office The Personnel Office on the 2nd floor is the main source of information for pa)'TOll and employee benefits. Shortly after your arrival at OTA, you will be asked by Personnel to fill out a number of documents. These forms will cover taxes, retirement, and health and life insurance. Personnel will explain the annual and sick leave policy to you as well. Research Assistants usually accrue four hours each of sick and annual leave every two Page8
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weeks. We are paid every two weeks, on Thursdays, and have the option of direct deposit for paychecks. Personnel is also the primary source of information about health plans. They have brochures about every program and also make available the Checkbook's guide to Federal Health Pro~rams. This guide is published yearly and provides invaluable information about the number of health plans you are allowed to choose from. A great secondary source of information regarding health benefits is other OTA employees. Additionally, Personnel is your key to obtaining your coveted Senate I.D. Personnel should receive a letter a couple of weeks after your start date notifying them that you can go to the Senate Sergeant at Arms' office to have your I.D. made. Although Personnel will notify you when the letter arrives, it doesn't hurt to ask them about it at the start of your third week. Finally, should you be interested, your OA will have a copy of OT A's Personnel Services Manual which contains more comprehensive descriptions of OTA's personnel policies. If you are a contractor new to OTA, your Personnel orientation will differ somewhat. Your source of information is the Contracts Office on the 5th floor. SEE ALSO: Contractor section in this book. Telecommunicadons and Information Systems Telecommunications and Information Systems (TIS) is the computer headquarters for OTA TIS provides basic and advanced training for XYWrite (Currently OTA's main word processing program) and a variety of other computer programs. TIS is also a reference center for any other computer-related questions or problems you may have. Just dial 8-6000. In the event that you need some basic XYWrite training and the class isn't scheduled for another couple of weeks, ask your OA or TIS if you could arrange to take a crash course. Page9
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4 BENEFITS Health Benefits As a full-time, albeit temporary, employee you are eligible for health benefits. OTA pays part of your biweekly fees and you pay the rest, which is deducted from your paycheck. Some plans also require a yearly fee. You have a multitude of health plans to choose from and the people in the Personnel Office can help you sift through all of the information. You will most likely be looking for a standard option plan or an HMO with a low premium and low or no annual deductible. Feel free to ask your colleagues questions about the various health plans. You pick one plan when you start working at OTA and you can change your plan each year during open season, which starts in November each year and lasts for about a month. See the employee handbook or Personnel for more detailed information. Benefits/Using your Congressional ID As a research assistant/analyst armed with a picture-Congressional ID, which Personnel and your Office Administrator (OA) can help you obtain, you are eligible for many benefits, some obvious and well-known and others a bit more obscure. It would behoove you to carxy your ID with you (in a wallet, not on the chain) even when not at work; just do not wear it around your neck and tucked into your pocket lest you be mistaken for an congressional intern. House/Senate/Library or Congress Your picture ID affords you entrance to the House and Senate office buildings, the Capitol, and some restricted areas in the library of Congress (LOC). Not only can you use the staff entrances at the House and Senate buildings, but you also have access to hearings and bill mark-ups. You can use the Congressional Reading rooms of the Library of Congress and can arrange to enter the stacks. Armed with your ID you can, if you really Page 10
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want to, eat at the House, Senate, or Library cafeterias which, during certain hours, are (supposedly) open to staff only. These cafeterias are subsidized, so they're a bit cheaper than other lunch options. As OTA staff you are allowed to use the stationery stores of both the House and the Senate. In addition to office supplies you can buy lots of nifty souvenirs and gifts to send home to friends and family ( although this may change). You must bring your ID and cash or check; the stores do~'t accept credit or charge cards. If you go to the House store, you may have to emphasize that you work for OT A (your ID says Senate) and that you are allowed to use the store. The House Stationery store is in the Longworth building and the Senate store is in the Dirksen building. Rental Cars/Parking/Transportation OTA has accounts with several rental car agencies, some of which allow you to rent a car for personal use even if you are under 25 and sometimes you can get a discount or an upgrade as well. Ask the Omega travel agent on the 5th floor for details and any current special upgrades or discounts. Direct Deposit/Banking As an OTA employee, you can have your paycheck deposited directly to your bank if you so choose. If you are new to town and are trying to figure out where to open a bank account, a good bet would be either the House or Senate Credit Unions. The House Congressional Federal Credit Union seems to be the more popular of the two. The Credit Unions are on the MOST automatic teller network so you can use any bank on the network or you can trek up to the Hill to use the Credit Union's own machines or the bank itself. You get 5 free withdrawals a month from machines other than the Credit Union's after which it costs $1 per transaction which is comparable to most of the banks in the area unless you have a stupendously high balance. The Credit Union not only issues nifty checks with pictures of the Capitol or the Congressional seal, but also Congressional VISA's or Master Cards (also with the Capitol on them) with low annual fees and interest rates (lower Page 11
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than almost any credit card around --14% at this writing). As a member of the Credit Union you are eligible to receive low-interest loans for car purchases, holiday gift buying, or personal use and the Credit Union has a great car-buying service if you are in the market for a new vehicle. Hill Activities As a starving research assistant/analyst the resourceful forager can eat for free almost any night of the week, be it at happy hour or at a reception on the Hill. On just about any given night, some organization will hold a reception for Congressional staff on the Hill; some receptions are closed and invitation-only, but others are wide open. OTA is a bit out of the word-of-mouth loop, thus staff may not be aware of all the goings-ans, but some receptions are widely publicized for example, the annual Ice Cream Social. Otherwise, you can go to the House and Senate buildings and look around -or make friends with a Hill staffer who will pass word along. Page 12
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.. SISTER AGENCIES Over the years, Congress has created a number of support agencies. Of these, four "sister agencies" form Congress' primary reservoir of authoritative and in-depth research and analysis for a wide range of topics. They are the Congressional Budget Office ( CBO ), the General Accounting Office (GAO), the Congressional Research Service ( CRS), and the Office of Technology Assessment (OTA). Below are short explanations of the basic missions, actual work, and organization of each of OTA's fellow support agencies. The heads of these agencies meet or communicate with one another on a regular basis, but it is also routine for individual OTA staff to consult on specific study topics with their counterparts from the other support agencies, particularly when beginning a new project. like OTA, each of the other agencies is required to be politically unbiased. With the exception of GAO, they are not called upon to make policy recommendations, but rather present options and alternatives for congressional consideration. Congressional Budget Office The CBO was established by the Congressional Budget Act of 1974 (2 U.S.C. 601), to provide Congress with information about the interaction between the federal budget and the U.S. economy, and to assess the fiscal and budgetary consequences of legislative actions. At the same time the Budget Act also created a Committee on the Budget in both the House and Senate, with whom CBO works closely. Through CBO, Congress is able to evaluate the effects of the spending and taxing levels in the annual Federal budget, and calculate the surplus or deficit they will incur. Among CBO's more specific responsibilities is forecasting the state of the national economy, as well as preparing 5-year cost projections for overall and specific spending and taxing policies, monitoring the impact of specific and overall congressional action on established budget ceilings, and preparing annual budget reports for the Budget Committees of both legislative branches. Page i3
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Like OT A, CBO responds to specific study requests, but in light of their predetermined duties, they must be even more selective than OTA Under law, they provide study services to requesters in the following order of priority: the House and Senate Budget Committees, the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, the Senate Finance and House Ways and Means Committees, and all other congressional committees. The director of CBO is appointed to a four-year renewable term by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, with the recommendation of both the House and Senate Budget Committees. The CBO has a hiring ceiling of 226 people and a budget last fiscal year of $22.5 million, making it only slightly larger than OTA Congressional Research Service The CRS as we know it today was officially created under the Legislative Reorganization Act of 1970. Long before this latest incarnation, however, the library of Congress had been providing specialized research services to Members of Congress. Over the course of its first century and a half of existence, the number of library of Congress staff members assigned to respond to Congressional reference and research requests grew from one, with its establishment in 1800 (2 Stat. 56), to 131 by the mid-1900's. Nevertheless, it was not until 1914, that the Legislative Reference Service was instituted within the library to assist the legislative branch exclusively. Finally, the service was only awarded permanent status as a separate department of the library in 1946. With its rebirth as the Congressional Research Service in 1970, CRS was given new fiscal and administrative autonomy, as well as a stricter mandate to expand and improve its research capabilities to provide a greater amount of qualified and specialized research support to the committees of Congress. The CRS mission, therefore, is to provide for an informed national legislature by the quick delivery of high quality research, analysis, and information on a wide variety of policy issues, that is current, objective, and nonpartisan. Page 14
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Sometimes, CRS reports are similar to OT A background papers in their scope; and overlap, or information coordination and sharing, is a common occurrence between our agencies. CRS comprises two information divisions and seven research divisions, as well as a number of specialized offices. The CRS retains a staff of approximately 860, and its budget for FY'92 was $55. 7 million. The director of CRS is appointed by the Librarian of Congress, after consultation with the Joint Committee on the Library. Incidentally, CRS's director is a statutory member of OT A's Technology Assessment Advisory Committee (TAAC). General Accounting Office The GAO was established through the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 (31 U.S.C. 702), to conduct independent audits of federal expenditures for Congress. GAO's official business is to audit and appraise Government programs, activities, and financial operations, and unlike OTA or the agencies discussed above, GAO is called upon to make recommendations. GAO's duties extend not only to eliminating wasteful spending in Government programs, but also to offering legal advice to Congress, and assuring the correctness of legislation from a legal and financial standpoint. GAO also helps draft legislation, and assists in resolving disputes stemming from Government contract awards. GAO is required to respond to the requests of committee chairmen and ranking minority Members, but may also initiate a review in response to a request from an individual member, or under specific requirement of the law. Though considerably larger than OT A, GAO similarly draws from outside experts to supplement its multidisciplinary staff. GAO works out of 16 regional offices throughout the United States and overseas, and numerous Federal agencies throughout the world, in addition to its headquarters in Washington, D.C.. Direction of its 5062-strong staff and Page 15
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FY'92 $422.6 million budget, is charged to the Comptroller .General of the United States, who is appointed by the President for a term of fifteen years. The Comptroller General also is a statutory member of T AAC. Special thanks to Jim Jensen, OTA's Director of Congressional Affairs, and Holly Gwin, OTA's General Counsel, for their contribution to this section. Additional information was provided through printed information distributed by each of Congress's Research Services, as well as: Office of the Federal Register, The United States Government Manual 1990/91. Henderson, Gwendolyn J., Ed .. Washington: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1990. Page 16
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CAPITOL HILL POLICE The Capitol Hill Police Department was founded in 1828. The primary purpose of the police is the protection of members of Congress and its staff. There are approximately 1200 officers in the Department with stations in all Congressional office buildings and regular posts on the streets around the Capitol Hill area. The duties of the police vary from site to site and this section will focus on the role of the police at 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, S.E., the building which houses the Office of Technology Assessment. One of the most important things you should know as an OTA employee is the Capitol Hill police number which is 8-8888. Call this number whenever you have any immediate problem which should be brought to the attention of the police. If you suspect that someone or something is out of place or feel threatened in any way, do not hesitate to call the emergency number. Do not take action yourself. The police in the building are also available to file reports as needed. If you find something missing, for example, act immediately. Delays in reporting theft and random mischief will hamper police efforts to help you. It is also important to inform your office manager of any problem since something may be done to prevent it from happening again in the future. As a new employee, you will be required to obtain a Congressional staff identification card which displays your picture. Generally, the process may take as long as a few weeks to a month. While waiting to get your identification card, you should take the time to introduce yourself to the police officers that you meet in the halls of OTA The sooner they recognize you, the better off you will be. Otherwise, you may be stopped and asked about your business if an officer does not recognize you. Remember, the police are here to protect us and they are only doing their job by questioning people who are unfamiliar. If you are stopped by an officer, be respectful and tell him/her your name and the program in which you work. You should have no problem thereafter. Page 17
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Another thing you should know is that the OTA building is on a computerized locking system. Doors are unlocked from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm, Monday through Friday. Your office administrator will give you keys to the building so that you can gain entrance during other hours. If you should decide to show up on the weekends (hopefully, not very often) there is a required check-in procedure. On weekends, you must have your staff identification card on hand. Upon entering the building, go directly to the fifth floor where an officer will be stationed. At that point, you will simply show your identification card and sign in. This is done primarily for your own safety. In case of an emergency, (fire, for example) officers will know generally where to find you. It is also a good idea to keep the program office door closed when working during off-business hours as an added safety precaution. All visitors to the building are required to check in with the Capitol Hill Police. During regular office hours, visitors should proceed to the floor on which the OTA employee is located. The officer stationed on that floor will request the visitor to sign in, check belongings for dangerous things (like weapons), and issue a visitor's badge which should be worn at all times while in the building. The officer will than call the employee and request that they come out to greet their guest. As an OTA employee, you are expected to make sure that the visitor's badge is returned to the police at the end of the stay. All visitors that arrive during non-office hours should proceed directly to the fifth floor for check-in. Generally, OTA is a safe and secure place of employment. However, do not be careless with your personal belongings. Keep all purses, wallets, and other valuables out of sight and, preferably, locked up. Thefts do occur. Again, if you should experience a problem, be sure to report it immediately. Finally, the Capitol Hill Police will escort OTA employees to their cars in the garage during off-business hours, if an officer is available. Feel free to request their presence and they will do whatever they can to assist you. Page 18
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PROJECT STRUCTURE The structure of OTA reports varies depending on the topic and the approach taken by the project director. However, all reports do have some common facets and the approval/review process is fairly uniform. Included in this book is a schema of a typical OTA report as well as a list of the major milestones of a typical project. Do not panic if your study does not include all or even some of these components. So~e projects require new and innovative approaches. OTA projects are initiated by a letter of request from the Chairmen of a Congressional Committee. Once the study is officially requested, approved by TAB and allocated funding, the study truly begins. Most OTA assessments will have an advisory panel of experts and stake holders. Periodic meetings are held with the panel, as well as workshops and briefings. Through written comments and discussion (which is often lively), the panel ensures that OTA's reports are objective, fair, and authoritative. For specific information or analysis, OTA contracts with key individuals and organizations. OTA has an extensive review process during which staff draws on a broad spectrum of resources throughout the public and private sectors to ensure the quality and completeness of its work (if you are not already, you will get used to accepting constructive criticism!). Once studies are written and given final approval by TAB, they go through the inhouse OTA publication process. They are printed by the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), which sells the reports along with providing many to OTA to distribute. Reports and some contractor papers are also held by the National Technical Information Service (NTIS) and the OTA Publication Department. Some reports are reprinted by commercial publishers (which have been known to charge up to 10 times as much per report as GPO) and some are translated into foreign languages. Page 19
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Revision and Release '-Release to the Public by Congress t Publication by GPO t Draft to Report TAB t Advisory Panel Meeting II -,if-Congressional Request(s) Review of Full Report studI Plann ng TAB Proposal Review SCHEMA OF COMMON OFFICB OF TECHNOLOGY ASSESSHBN'l' COHPOHBNTS .._ Development/ Evaluation of Analysis Complete Draft Report f-t,-Advisory Panel Meeting I Technology Assessment (commissioned papers) Review of Papers Workshop(s) on Special Topics Collection of Information
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.............. -... ~. i _. :' .. _, ~----PHASlES .. OF A PROJECT .. : :* * * * * * * i~ .. . ~ ... : ~-~.... ""' .. .. .. I ENTHUSIASM 11 DISILLUSIONMENT .. .. JV SEARCH FOR THE GUILTY 'L .. V(: PUNISHMENT OF THE INNOCENT. . .. -~ : '. : . . ~. .. VI PRAISE & HONORS FOR THE J. .l : NONPARTICIPANTS I,
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YOUR COMPUTER As an RA you will probably use your computer more than any other piece of office equipment. It is important that you become familiar with your system and that you feel comfortable using your word processing and mail functions. Even if you aren't a computer jock, you will be able to get a handle on the OTA system. The computers at OTA ar~ almost exclusively IBM PC or compatible machines. Many computers are supplied with color monitors, and a few come with a mouse. The keyboards are all essentially the same, but they vary somewhat in their layout and feel Make sure you get a keyboard with arrow keys if you are going to do any amount of spreadsheet work. All the computer systems come with a built in hard drive ( designated "C:"), along with one or more floppy drives. The variety of floppy drives at OTA (from 3.5' to 5.25', and in a variety of data densities) can make transferring files via disk difficult, but since we usually transfer files via the network, it's not generally a problem. Most OTA'rs use MSOOS (the standard IBM compatlole operating system), but some individuals have begun using Windows. Usually Windows requires a 386 machine, color monitor, and a mouse, although it can run with less. The Telecommunications and Information Systems office (TIS), located on the fifth floor, periodically offers short classes to bring people up to speed on things like formatting disks, creating and erasing directories, and copying files. Many programs install a series of menus that help us access most of the software and features we need with some amount of ease. If these menus don't show up when you turn on your machine, ask your office administrator. Although the use and purchase of software is determined at the program level, major it software packages are purchased through TIS. This allows for flexibility, while at the same time assuring a general consistency among programs. For example, most programs use XYWrite for word processing, and most have Lotus 123 and Quattro Pro available for spreadsheet work, and Harvard Graphics available for graphics. Your program will most Page20
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likely have additional packages that meet program specific needs. Check with your project director or office administrator for information on these. Manuals for the most of the software packages circulate within each of the programs, so if you need one don't be afraid to ask around. For most of the major packages, TIS offers training classes on a regular basis. A list of these classes can be found in the document ''TIS Policies and Procedures", which also contains a listing of supported software, outlines TIS' support policies, and describes the wide range of other computer related services TIS provides. Check with the TIS "help desk" (xS-6000) to get a copy and to check on the current_ schedule of computer classes. The training material that TIS has put together for these classes can also be used for self instruction. At a minimum, you should review the documents on E-mail and on the Internet. The Network and Mail All OTA machines are connected to each other using a network. Your computer and all the other computers in your program are connected through a program server, which serves as a clearing house for mail, a central storage place, and a driver for your program's printers. Each of these servers are then interconnected through a master server, which is also connected to things like the ASYNC server (which is a series of modems that you can use from your desk), and the Internet computer (which allows you to send and receive information over the Internet). With this setup, we can communicate with each other and share files over the network in at least two ways. Within each program, each computer has access to the hard drive of the program server, usually labeled "E:", "F:", "G:", or some other "large" letter. Once you have logged into the server (which should happen automatically when you boot up), you can simply type the drive designator at the DOS prompt to access those drives. Files can then be used just as if they were on your own hard drive. (In fact, many of the programs you Page 21
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will be using are actually located on the program drives, although you may not actually be aware of it when you are using them.) To transfer a file to someone in your program, just copy it into an appropriate directory on the program drive, and then tell her or him that it's there. The second, and more common method of communicating and transferring files, is through electronic mail. E-mail, as it is more commonly known, is a method of sending notes or information to others by computer. It is one of the primary ways people at OTA communicate. You should be able to access the Microsoft E-mail program directly by menu, or if not, just type "mail" at the DOS prompt. Depending on how your system was set up, the program may ask you for your user name. Your user name is generally your first and last initial (i.e. jd for Jane Doe). You may also be asked for a password. If you are asked for a password and TIS hasn't given one to you, just give them a call. Resetting your password should be your first priority your first time on, as it will prevent others from sending mail (possibly all over the world) in your name. Look under "Options" for the password modification option. The process of using E-mail is covered extensively in the TIS E-mail document. The OTA mail system also can be used to send mail to hundreds of thousands of people worldwide via Internet, and subsequently through the Bitnet, MCI-Mail, CompuServe, and a variety of other computer services. Internet can also be used to actually log in to other computers, such as university or library computers. TIS and the Information Center have documents that list some of the computers that contain interesting information and show how to log in to them. As mentioned above, basic information about the Internet is contained in the TIS Internet training document, which you should make sure to get from TIS. A few more notes about mail. The "personal" address list can be used to store the Internet address of people you mail to frequently, and can be used to create groups that you can mail to by simply selecting the group name. You may have noticed addresses like Page 22
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"ALLADMIN", "ALLEM" or "ALLOT A". These are groups that have been defined by your system administrator. Groups you create are similar, except they must be composed of people listed in your personal address list. Thus, you must first add the people in your group to the personal address list before you can create the group. Information on using the personal address lists and on using groups is contained in the TIS document on using groups in E-mail. Also, don't forget to find out about JunkMail. If you have requests or messages of a "not-strictly-business" nature (like a request for information on good restaurants, or a question on 13th century clerical religious practices), send them to ALLOT AJUNK, and you will be barraged with insightful and useful responses. Other Computer Services TIS and the various program also maintain several other facilities for general use, from a Macintosh to modems. Among the most important are the ASYNC server, the OTA Macintosh, scanners and readers, and the On-Lan call in facility. The ASYNC Server is a bank of modems in TIS that allow you to call other computers, including the Library of Congress .SCORPIO-system, from your desk. Various other computers are available, depending on your program. To access the ASYNC server, simply select the server option from your menu system. To find out what services are available to your program, contact your office administrator. The TIS Macintosh is located in the Energy and Materials program (4th floor). It is intended for graphical data analysis only. These programs allow you to easily perform complex data analysis, and then help you convert the results of your analysis into graphs for publication. For more information on using the Macintosh for data analysis, contact David Jensen in the Energy and Materials Program. Although some of the programs have scanners of their own, TIS also provides scanning and reading services. A scanner is an input device that converts written material (such as a photo) into a graphical format that your computer can work with. A reader is Page 23
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similar, but it goes the extra step of turning the graphical data into textual data that a word processor can understand. This can be very helpful if you have a written document that you want to enter into the computer, but you don't feel like typing the whole thing. Although quite sophisticated, the scanner can still only read relatively clear material with normal to large sized type. The On-Lan system allows you to call into the OTA network from home using a computer and a modem. This can be helpful if you are away from the office for a while, but wish to stay in touch with people through, for example, E-mail. TIS has communication software available for both Macintosh and IBM computers, and can help you get your system connected properly. Finally, the various programs also maintain a wide variety of equipment, including additional scanners, color printers, and CD-ROM drives, and computer fax connections. If there is something in particular you need, check with your office administrator to see if a program in OTA has the equipment available. There is a lot to computing at OTA, and it can be somewhat intimidating. But don't worry. Just jump right in, and don't be afraid to ask questions. The quicker you become comfortable with your computer, the quicker you'll be able to start writing and editing with ease, and the easier it will be to stay in touch with your coworkers. Classes (and Documents) Available through TIS aau Aldus PageMaker DSBackup E-mail, Using Groups E-mail, Using Files m File Seryer, Navigating the Harvard Graphics Internet, Introduction to Internet, Using the Lotus 1-2-3, Advanced Lotus 1-2-3, Beginners PCFile, Using Page 24 Fregyency Available on video Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Available on video As needed Every 8-10 weeks Available on video Available on video Every 8-10 weeks
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Ventura Publisher Windows3.0 XyWrite, Advanced XyWrite, Beginners XyWrite, Customizing XyWrite, Sorting with XyWrite: Column Tables XyWrite: Formatting for Pubs XyWrite: Generating a Table of Contents XyWrite: Mail merge XyWrite: Redlining XyWrite: Tables for Professionals XyWrite: Using Save/Gets XyWrite: Using Windows Page25 Available on video Available on video Every 10 weeks Every 6-8 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every Se 10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8-10 weeks Every 8~ 10 weeks
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YOUR PHONE A quick examination of the OTA Employee Handbook will reveal that the Telecommunications and Information Systems (TIS) Office, located on the fifth floor, is responsible for installation and maintenance of all of OTA's telephone and voice mail equipment, and that if you have a problem or question about your phone, you may reach them by calling 8-6000. Voice mail is available to every individual in OTA upon request, however you should consult your program's Office :Administrator first. If approved, your request for voice mail service should be made to TIS (8-6000). Hook-up generally takes about five working days to be completed. With this in mind, below is a listing of numerous practical and easy-to-use telephone procedures and facts that should help you to become familiar with your phone's capabilities on your own. This information has been compiled from the C&P Telephone Digital Centrex pamphlet, and the House and Senate Telephone Directories, along with a few personal observations. The Basics OTA phones have a number of different lines for specific purposes. The main or default phone line, for instance, activates automatically when you lift the handset, and is the only one which automatically forwards its incoming calls to your program receptionist's phone or to your voice mail service. However, depending on what manner of call you are receiving or placing, you may have to activate another type of line. Other useful lines include: the intercom line, the transfer line, and the call forwarding line. Finally, your phone includes a second, outside line (with a different phone number) that can offer some specific advantages. For instance, since this line does not forward to any kind of message-taking service, it should be considered more of a private line. (And, if given out on a more limited basis it ensures that you, the recipient will more-or-less know who is calling.) Page 26
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Receiving a call On the Main Line: If you are receiving a call on your main line (indicated by a flashing, diamond-shaped indicator in the display space beside the lower-most, green key), then you need only lift the hand set. On Another Line: For a call on a line other than your main line (indicated by a flashing indicator in the display space beside one of the gray keys), lift the hand set, and press the key for whichever phone line is being indicated. Placing a call Intra-program inter-office calls: You may call another office within your own program by using the i?,tercom line, which is indicated by a key marked "INT' followed by a double digit number. (The double digit number indicated on your intercom line key is your intercom number, and most likely will consist of the last two digits of your main line phone number.) To place an intercom call, press the intercom key, and then dial the two digit intercom number desired. Inter-office calls: To call an office within OTA, listen for a dial tone and then dial the prefix "8" followed by the last four digits of the number. (This prefix is shortened from the customary prefix "228" used by outside callers.) Other offices for which a five-digit number replaces the customary seven-digit number (when dialed from a phone at OTA) are: 1) The OTA Publications Offices and most of the Offices of the Director, which uses the prefix 4. 2) All House of Representative Offices, which use the prefix 5 or 6. 3) All Senate Offices, which use the prefix 4 or 8. 4) All library of Congress Offices, which use the prefix 7. You may have noticed that our phones are labeled "United States Senate" (as opposed to our writing utensils). Because we are a part of the Senate phone system, we share the prefixes "228-" and "224-" in common. Page 27
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Local calls: For calls within the district, dial "9" plus the desired seven digit telephone number. For Virginia and Maryland calls within the DC area, dial "9" plus the area code ('703" for VA, "301" for MD) and number. Numbers in VA or MD, but outside the DC area are considered long distance calls. Long distance calls (National): You may dial all national long distance calls directly, using the OTA WATS line. To place a call on the WATS line, dial "3 + 1", and then the desired area code and regular seven digit telephone number. Calls to Canada: Place Canada calls by dialing "9 + 1" followed by the area code and number. International long distance calls: To place international calls directly, dial "9 + 011" followed by the country code, city code, and local number. FAX Exchanges Place calls from OTA FAX machines using the exact same procedures ( outlined above) as you would to place calls ftom your OTA telephone. The agency has a central FAX machine (228-6098) located in the service center on the 3rd floor; however, your program may have its own. The following are various less-frequently employed phone procedures, which you may need to know at some point. Placing a call on-hook On-hook calling is useful in a number of situations. It allows you to place and/or cancel a call without lifting or replacing your handset. On-hook dialing: You may place calls without lifting the handset, by simply activating the appropriate phone line. The phone speaker will broadcast a dial tone, after which you may dial the desired number. The sound of the receiving phone ringing, as well as the call Page 28
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recipient's voice, may also be heard through you phone speaker. However, to speak to the call recipient, you must lift your handset. This service comes in handy when checking for a busy signal. Call release: You may automatically cancel a call or deactivate a phone line without replacing the handset, by pressing the key marked "RI.S". Call redial: To redial the most recent number you called, press # twice. Call Hold Holding and retrieving: To hold a line, first advise the caller to hold, and then simply press the key marked "Hold". To retrieve the caller press the appropriate line key. Consultation Holding: If you wish to consult a third party (via telephone) while holding a caller, first advise the caller to hold, then press the ''Transfer" key. Dial the third party's number. When the latter has hung up, press the "RI.S" key. Then you may return to your initial caller by pressing the appropriate line key. Call Transfer /Three-way a.mng Though the function is somewhat awkward, knowing how to transfer a call will come in handy more often than you would think! (The same procedure is used for three-party calls.) Transferring a call: Start by indicating to the party that you are transferring her. Next, press the key marked "Transfer" or "Call Transfer'' and listen for the special tone (---). Dial the number of the intended call recipient and announce the transfer. Finally, press the "Transfer" key again, and either hang up or press the "RI.S" key. Three way calling: Follow the above steps (indicating that you are setting up a three-way call). But, after you have pressed the "Transfer" key the second time, stay on the line instead of hanging up. Page 29
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.. Call Forwarding This procedure will automatically send your calls to a programmed extension number or outside number. Call forwarding can be particularly useful if you have moved to a new office and have left the old one empty: calls made to your old number can be programmed to forward automatically to your new phone. Of course, it could be that you just don't feel like answering your ph~ne in a given situation, and you may wish to program your calls to be forwarded somewhere else -the FAX machine, for example. NOTE: If you are forwarding your calls to a number other than a machine's ( a colleague, for instance) it is suggested that you notify the recipient that your calls are being forwarded. To forward calls: Without lifting the handset, press the key marked "Call FWD" ( or something to that effect). Next, dial the number to which you wish the calls to be forwarded. Now press the "Call FWD" key again. The visual indicator beside the "CALL FWD" key will remain on. To cancel forwarding: Simply press the "Call FWD" key again. To resume forwarding to the same number: Press the "Call FWDtl key twice. Use Your Phone Just knowing how to use your phone is not enough. Research demands involvement, and your phone is a valuable research tool that should be optimized! Although your responsibilities will vary according to your program and project specifications, it is very likely you will be required to represent OTA and your study via telephone to an unfamiliar and sometimes hostile world. To acquaint you to this somewhat awkward task, here are some ideas about what kind of introductory information you may want to have thought out before you place a call, as well as an idea of some of the types of calls you may be called upon to make. (If your project director requires that you take "phone notes'\ he or she will most likely lay out some method for you to follow. If not, ask for one.) Page 30
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Things to have prepared before you place a call 1. A brief but authoritative description/explanation of your project and/or whatever part of it you intend to discuss. (Your Project Director should have a summary sheet or other information available for mailing.) 2. Your full address and phone/FAX number at OTA 3. A brief explanation of OTA (You can also offer to send an official printed pamphlet, which is available from your program or the Information Center). Phone Research-"Who dares, wins" One common phone assignment is to establish a contact within, or request references and information from another organization. If you get on board in the first stages of a study, you probably will be "cold calling" people you hope are experts in your project subject area. Again, you may be establishing a contact or just asking questions, but you also may be asking individuals to become advisory or workshop panel members. In these early stages your study may not even have "an authoritative description", so don't be alarmed if you are not entirely familiar with either your study or topic. You mightwant to establish that fact right away and emphasize that you are 'Just looking for basic information" and references. Assuming that your call recipient is familiar with your study topic, s/he may be able to suggest good questions as well as answers. On the other hand, some individuals will be very sensitive to the politics of their areas of expertise, and may be cautious about providing assistance to a ( or another) government agency. Again, if you establish your purpose and your lack of extensive knowledge of the subject area, your interviewee is less likely to read ulterior motives into your possibly touchy line of questioning. As you will continue to make new contacts throughout your tenure at OT A, these suggested guidelines will probably remain applicable regardless of the stage your study is at. Page 31
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Later on in a project, another common phone assignment is to look for experts to contract for background papers. Later still, you will need to solicit reviewers for those papers. You might start by asking the paper's author to suggest reviewers. Then, as you start contacting people on your preliminary list, you are bound to accumulate further contacts. Phone anxiety is not unusual, and you will receive all manner of reactions to your calls, including outright rudeness. However, with the exception of the occasional unpleasant encounter, phone research does become easier with practice. If you find yourself unable to provide an answer or explanation for something--for example, a criticism directed at a contractor by a reviewer-simply say you'll get back to him/her. The majority of people you talk to should be helpful and forthright, and, with time, you will be experienced at working with even those who aren't. Page 32
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INFORMATION CENTER As a Research Assistant, you will probably need to use the Information Center (IC) frequently. Depending on the demands of your project, you could spend a little or a lot of time in the IC, but whether or not it's work related, you will probably find yourself there just to read the paper or catch up with other RA's. There's a lot more to the IC than meets the eye. The IC staff can be very helpful in showing you the ropes (they have an orientation which should take place within your first few weeks at OTA), but the more you know about what it is you are looking for the quicker they can help you find it. Also, as you learn more about what kinds of research you will be doing, you will be able to tailor your search requests so they can be more easily handled. Remember; the IC staff is there to help you, but you don't want to overburden them with unnecessary requests. The IC has only a small collection of books. Take a look through the On-Line Catalog to familiarize yourself with what's there ( there are only 6,000 titles). You can have the Catalog linked to your office computer; ask your Office Administrator. Otherwise, the public workstation in the IC has it as well. The public workstation is located towards the back of the IC, across from the stacks. If the book you are looking for is checked out, you can ask to have your name placed on a waiting list to receive the book as soon as it is returned. In addition to a circulating collection, the IC also has numerous Reference books. You should familiarize yourself with these as well; they can be a good source of quick information. Every two weeks, the agency newsletter, "Focus," is published. On the back page are two lists of new books: those in the IC for general use, and those purchased by individual programs. General use are frequently titles that have been reviewed in the New York Times or Washington Post Book Reviews, and are not necessarily related to work done at OTA These books stay on the "New Book" shelf for two weeks, during which time you can Page 33
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sign up to receive them when they go into circulation. To find out about the books purchased by individual programs, ask an IC staff member, ands/he will tell you who has which book. You'll have to ask the individual programs' staff members if you want to borrow one of their books. The IC has copies of all reports published by OTA In the microfiche room, at the back of the IC, there are two closets which contain all the reports. In addition, there are copies in the circulating collection which can be charged out, and copies on microfiche. The IC subscribes to about 200 periodicals. They are located in the reading area of the IC, to the right after you walk in. The current year is kept on the shelves. Back issues of periodicals are placed in the two stacks immediately behind the periodical shelves. Back holdings vary, but are detailed in the list of periodicals you can get from the IC. The IC also holds more than twenty five journals on microfiche, going back several years. In addition, there is a collection of microfiche numbered to correspond to the PPLT file in Scorpio (see below), from 1976 to 1990. After that year, the Library of Congress stopped this service. If you find an article in the PPLT file that you want and the number is between 76-0001 and 90-5000, check to see if the IC has it on microfiche before filling out a yellow request slip. The IC subscribes to several daily newspapers: The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The Financial Times. These are located in the reading area as well. Back issues are kept underneath the magazine racks for 1-2 months. Every morning, three major newspapers (The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post) are scanned by Information Center staff for articles of interest to OTA. The headlines of these articles are sent over E-Mail to people interested in receiving them. This service is called "Newsmakers," and you ca~ sign up for it at any time. The articles themselves are photocopied and tacked on the bulletin board, which is to the immediate left inside the door of the IC. These articles stay on the bulletin board for an average of 2-3 days. Page 34
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Besides the Newsmakers articles, the IC bulletin board is a place for all-OTA announcements (job openings in the agency, softball schedules, events of interest to the entire agency) If there is something you want placed on the bulletin board, ask the IC manager; if there is space, permission is usually granted. Every Friday, a compilation of the Table of Contents pages of major journals received in the Information Center, called "Current Contents," is reproduced and circulated to whomever wants it. A list of "Current Contents" journals can be obtained from the IC. Frequently, RA's will hav~ the responsibility of reviewing "Current Contents" and retrieving articles of relevance to a particular study. The IC receives the Federal Register and Congressional Record. These come on a daily basis. (The CR is only published when Congress is in session). The Federal Register contains announcements of Federal agencies. There is a class you can take to learn how to best use the Federal Register, or you can ask one of the IC staff for a quick run-through. The Congressional Record is a transcript of the floor speeches of both the House and the Senate, plus anything entered into the record by a Member of Congress. Scorpio is an on-line database of the Library of Congress' collection. You can get training in Scorpio by making an appointment with the Library of Congress. Training sessions are usually held on Thursday mornings and last three hours. You may call the CRS automation office or 7-6447 to sign up for an "Intro to Scorpio" class. Grateful Med is an end-user, menu-driven, on-line database of the National Library of Medicine collection, which corresponds to the Medline database ( available through the IC) and to the printed Index Medicus. Only the Biological Applications and Health Programs have access to their own Grateful Med accounts. If you require a search of medical literature, contact an IC staff member. There may be times when you need a copy of a newspaper article from a newspaper the IC doesn't subscribe to, or no longer has on the shelves. It is possible for an IC staff member to do a search to retrieve newspaper articles. Page35
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ProQuest is a database which indexes roughly six hundred journals. About half of these journals are retrievable at the ProQuest terminal in full image. This can be very useful if you are looking for general information about a topic very quickly. ProQuest is very easy to use, and can be shown to you by any of the IC staff in a few minutes. CD-ROMs are databases on disk. They can only be used at the computer terminal in the Information Center. There are a broad range of databases, which you can familiarize yourself with at the Information Center orientation. Most of the CD-ROM products are user-friendly, but you can get step-by-step instructions from any of the IC staff. There is a complete list of all CD-ROM products available in the IC. The Information Center has a series of language tapes for general use (Spanish, Italian, German, French and Japanese). You can make copies of the tapes on the IC tape to-tape recorder, which is located in the microfiche room. The IC also has a tape eraser so you can re-use tapes. Along with the tapes are workbooks, which you can copy chapter by chapter. The IC has a TV /VCR for use in the microfiche room. There usually isn't a wait to use it, but you can reserve the room and equipment for a certain time, if you know ahead of time when you are going to need it. In addition to the general-use photocopier in the Service Center, the IC has a copier to make copies of articles, or other materials found in the IC. It gets heavy use, and should only be used to make a few copies of things. If, for instance, you are making 10 copies of a 20 page article, you should use the copier in the Service Center. The IC is the agency repository for information which may not necessarily be work related. For instance, during the first few months of the year, the IC stocks tax forms. Information regarding "Senate Health" programs can usually be found on top of the reference shelves, as well as copies of publication catalogs and OTA/Program information pamphlets. During the holiday food and clothing drive, donation boxes are set up in the IC. Page 36
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Requesting documents: when you want the Information Center to retrieve a document for you, fill out a yellow request slip. These are located on the desk directly in front of you as you walk in the door. You will be given a supply at the IC orientation. Be sure to give as much information on the request slip as you can. For instance, when ordering books from Library of Congress, you should be able to look them up in Scorpio (LCCC file) and get the LCCC number. Put the title and author and number on a yellow slip, and place slip in box on front desk. (If you don't have the time to go to the IC in person, you can order documents via E-Mail to the ICE-Mailbox). Books usually arrive in 3-5 days, if they are on the shelf. You have these books for a month, and can get them renewed for an additional month. When ordering a book that is unavailable from the Library of Congress, it can take as long as two to three weeks to receive it Articles from the PPLT file of Scorpio generally take a week to receive, and articles from the National Library of Medicine or another special library, again, take two to three weeks. Green room reservations: There is a conference room on the third floor ( called the Green Room because of its lovely carpeting) that can be resetved for meetings. It seats 8-10 comfortably, and is always cold, no matter what the temperature of the rest of the building. The IC handles these reservations, which are on a first come, first served basis. From time to time, the IC will get a new piece of equipment or CD-ROM product. Mini-orientation sessions will be called to highlight new equipment throughout the year. This is a good way to stay current on all the latest retrieval techniques, as well as brush-up on anything you may have forgotten. Page 37
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The IC has an Information Center Advisory Committee, made up of representatives from each program, which meets quarterly. Your program representative can bring to the committee any questions or concerns you may have regarding the IC, as well as keep you up to date on the latest developments of the IC. Last, but not least, in December the IC is the first to kick off the holiday season in mid-December with its annual holiday party. If you go into the IC on no other occasion (which you should, and you will), this morning of coffee and desserts is a must for good food and OTA bonding. Page 38
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LIBRARIES As a research assistant at OTA, you will be expected to obtain a variety of documents for use on your study. These may contain information that you wish to have on hand or that has been requested by other project staff. Ordinarily, our own Information Center can locate and acquire any information that you may need. Information Center staff are experienced in locating and retrieving information and it is a good idea to check with them first when faced with a particular research need. There are many different ways to handle a situation and they will advise you on all the options. Occasionally, however, you may need to have access to other libraries. This can be the result of needing some immediate information or, on rare occasion, a document that cannot be borrowed or copied. Other horaries may also be of value because of the specific types of collections they house on particular subject areas. For exam.pie, the National library of Medicine is a ready resource for people interested in all health related issues. There are numerous public and professional libraries available in the Washington, D.C. area. The first library that you should be aware of is the Library of Congress (LOC). As a Congressional agency, OTA is able to access and borrow documents held by the Library of Congress. There are three buildings in the Library, the James Madison Memorial Building, the Thomas Jefferson Building, and the John Adams Building. They are located at the intersection of Independence Avenue and Second Street, Southeast, just a few blocks from OTA. The best way to obtain information at LOC is to make a requests through our own Information Center. They are organized to make timely requests on your behalf. However, if you have more immediate needs, information is readily available for use on-site through the various "reading rooms" at the Library. Depending on your particular research needs, you may wish to make use of the extensive research collections in the Main Reading Room, Page 39
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the European Division, or the Government Publications, Newspaper, and Current Periodical Reading Room, as just a few examples. You will need your staff identification card to make requests. The Main Reading Room in the Thomas Jefferson Building was recently renovated and should not be missed. Take some time to explore these buildings and familiarize yourself with the available services. Also available at the Library of Congress is the Computer Catalog Center (LCCC) which provides public access to the Library's automated-catalog fifes through computer terminals. The Library of Congress also holds exhibits on a variety of subjects which may be of interest to you. One good way to stay informed of activities at the Library is the weekly newspaper, 'The Gazette." New issues are available to the public on Thursday of each week. Professional libraries are also available for your use as a research assistant. These libraries often house more in-depth information on a particular subject area. For example, there is a 13 library network for the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) with special collections on a wide range of subjects. You should call ahead when wanting to use any other libraries, since hours are often limited and appointments may be required. Again, the Information Center is a good source of information about these libraries and the only way to place an inter-library loan request. Washington, D.C. also has a public library system. The main library is the Martin Luther King Jr. Library located at 901 G Street, NW. It is a research library with a full range of services available to meet your needs. In addition, there are branch libraries scattered throughout the District. The branch library closest to OTA is located behind the People's Drug on 7th and D Streets, SE. As an employee or resident in the District of Columbia, you may borrow from the public libraries. Public libraries are also a good source of "ready reference" with librarians available to address a wide variety of questions. Page40
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Also, these libraries are the best place to take care of your own personal reading needs. You should be aware, however, that branch libraries offer fewer services and shorter hours overall. It would be wise to call ahead for information before making the trip. Page41
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WRITING FOR OTA RA writing tasks may range from photo captions, to short descriptive "boxes," to background research, to entire chapters. You may be asked to do any or all of these things, so don't be alarmed. Trust your own abilities. The most important guideline for RA's undertaking any of these tasks is that you are not writing in a vacuum. Your work will be reviewed widely and impersonally. You still need to be accurate, of course, but you don't need to drive yourself crazy trying to be perfect. The next important guideline is that there is not really a "correct" OTA writing style, although for publication the Government Printing Office style must be adhered to. Various people from various disciplines bring their own, individual writing styles with them to OTA. There are, however, some approaches that are more acceptable than others. You can ask your project director to recommend an OTA study that he or she considers exemplary OTA work. A few other hints: 1. Submit your work early and often. Your fairy godmother is unlikely to appear and bless your work, so try not to hold onto it forever,-waiting for her to turn up. The best way to find out if you are on the right track is to give your work to your project director for feedback. If you hold on too long, you may become too emotionally attached to your piece, and there is no guarantee that your beloved prose will appear in any form in the final report. Also, deadlines can go unstated; feel free to ask your project d~rector for a specific deadline. Page42
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2. Be even-handed. The Chairman of TAB once said he wished OTA had fewer twohanded analysts ("on the one hand ... on the other hand11). This is a huge compliment! When you are researching for OT A, remember that you need to examine all aspects of an issue, regardless of your personal opinion. Be as thorough and thoroughly fair as possible. 3. Be delicate. Some of us were taught to write a paper by asserting a thesis and then systematically proving it. While you can hold onto your general notions about structure, approach your work for OTA much more delicately than you would a college paper. Try to avoid conclusive and prescriptive statements; we provide information and Congress makes policy (don't step on their toes). 4. Be simple and succinct. A high percentage of legislators and their staffs have little or no familiarity with science and technology issues. A helpful way to handle this is that you should aim your work at a high school level. That's not to be taken too literally -we cater to a very sophisticated audience, but they are extraordinarily short of time and, as a result, prefer an easy read. Moreover, much of our subject matter is so complex that you are unlikely to actually hit the high school range. 5. On a more mechanical level, don't put off footnotes and references. Someday, you will be very, very sorry that you wrote partial citations. For starters, you are almost certain to be the person responsible for tracking down the missing information. Be complete even if you are just taking notes. If you are concerned about your writing ability, there are tools you can use to help yourself. First, get Strunk and White. Personnel usually has copies of The Elements of Style by Strunk and White, a very useful book, and they will give you a copy for free. Second, use Right Writer or similar programs. This is a computer program that analyzes writing for Page43
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stylistic strength. Ask your office administrator if this program is available to you, and you can request that it be made available if it is not. Right Writer and programs like it can be very helpful in pointing out stylistic and structural weaknesses. Do take it with a grain of salt, though; the program can be too picky on some errors, ignore others, and it is not tailored to OT A's needs. Third, ask the Personnel Office about opportunities for writing classes. OTA has occasional in-house writing classes -you are eligible to participate. Also use spell check if you don't already, and keep a personal dictionary on spell check so you can add new words. (If you're unfamiliar with spell check, go to the command line while you are in a XyWrite file and type "spell," carriage return. Follow the directions from there.) Finally, in 1987, an OTA Writing Task Force presented a helpful report on writing for OTA This report is not readily available (it has been awhile), but you can find a copy if you ask around. Page44
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MISCELLANEOUS iil.:i A Bureaucrat~ Guidew Chocolate Chip Cookies By5""'""E.Ruu ~-flM----F OR THOSE government em ployes and bureaucrats who have problems with standard recipes, here's one tbat should make the grade -a dassic version of the chocolate-chip cookie translated for easy reading. Toh.I Lead Tim 35 minutes. Inputs: 1-. paelred IJrowa ..... v.. cup araaalatecl IUPI' v.. cup IIOfteaecl butter v.. cup ellortaing 2egp l'AteaS(IOlllllwailla :Maq1111ll-purpoaelloar 1 teapoon baldag &Oda V..teapoon.it lkunce package MIIHWeet ebooolat.e pieces 1 cup cbopped walauta pecans Guidance: After procurement actions, decon taineme inputs. Perform measure ment tasks on a case-by-case basis. In a mixing type bowl, impact heavi-... ; '1' ly on brown eupr, granulated sugar, aoftened butter and shortening. Coordinat.e -the interface of eggs a.nd vanilla, avoiding an overrun acenario to the best of your skills and abili tie!. At this point in time, lewrage flour, baking soda and salt int.o a bowl and aggregate. EquaJir.e with prior mixture and develop intense and continuom liaison among inputa until well-oiordinated. Associate key chocolate and 11ut subsystems and execute stirring operations. Within this ~me frame, take ac-tion to prepare the heating environ-ment for throughput by manually aetting the oven baking unit by hand to a temperature of 375 degrees Fah renheit (190 degrees Celsius). Drop mixture in an ongoing fashion from a teaspoon implement ont.o an ungreased cookie sheet at intervals suf facient enough apart to permit total lliiJi and permanent separation of througbputa to the maximum extent practicable under operating eonditions. Position cookie sheet in a bake situation and aurveil for 8 to 10 minutes or unb1 cooking action ter minates. Initiate coordination of out puts within the cooling rack function. Containerize, wrap in red tape and disseminate to-authorir.ed staff personnel on a timely and expeditious basis. Output: Six dozen official goveqiment ch<>C!)late-chip cookie units.
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CONTRAc,fORS So you have just been hired at OTA, but there is a twist you are a contractor. This means that you are responsible for finding a health insurance policy, deciding if you want a life insurance policy, paying all sorts of truces, and discovering which benefits you are and are not eligible for. Your salary should include an added sum to buy your benefits. As you go through the process, consider the following: Benefits Health Care -As a contractor, OTA does not assist you in the selection or payment of your health insurance .... Where do you go? Well, the yellow pages are a good start. The premiums vary significantly by company so shop around. If you carry American Express, they will do the search for you. The standard choices you will have to make are: o major medical or in-patient only policy o 80-20 or 50-50 co-insurance o amount of deductible HMO's are also available and are a good option for people in good health. While HMOs greatly reduced the costs of doctors visits, you are somewhat limited in doctor choice. Also, should you become more seriously ill you usually only have a choice of one hospital which could be a problem if Washington is far away from home. Remember: Keep records of those monthly payments. You can deduct part of the amount (about 25%) paid for health insurance on your Form 1040. Page 45
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Other Benefits Contractors do get a few. The official OT A employee handbook lists what we do not get ( annual leave, sick leave, COLA eligibility, health insurance, life insurance, retirement, etc.) However, your congressional ID entitles you to some benefits including access to parking and to the Congressional stationery stores. Read the section in this book on benefits to see what else applies. Your OA has the documents you will need to secure an ID. Remember that what you lose in benefits, you gain in flexibility. Since you are now 11self employed," you have some discretion over how, when and where you will perform your work. Although this does not translate into flex time or working at home, you can shift a few hours here and there, as well as make up a lost day. Banking: Contractors can use the Congressional Credit Unions. (see section on employee benefits for details.) However, you are not eligible for direct deposit. Also, your paycheck does not always arrive on the same day as the staffers; it can come as early as Thursday or as late as Monday. Taxes: This requires planning. Remember you are your own business or self-employed in IRS lingo. You will need to pay quarterly estimated State and Federal taxes. If you do not pay estimated taxes, you could be assessed a hefty fine. The Federal form, entitled Form 1040-ES, is available from the information center. If the forms are not there, the IRS address is: IRS, P.O. Box 8318, Page46
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Philadelphia, PA 19162-0825. Usually, you will be paying 100% of the previous year's taxes. Those of you who did not earn any income in the previous tax year and are earning less than $75,000 in the current tax year should file for an exemption. For the April 15th tax deadline, you will need to complete Schedules B,C, and SE to go with your 1040 Form. OTA will provide you with Form 1099-MISC as the record of payment. Keep careful records of expenses you incur related to work ( even if OTA reimburses you!) since they are partially deductible. You will have to go thro~gh the same process for State taxes. Get your forms early. WARNING: Contractors have been known to faint after seeing how much tax they owe. It is easy to forget that OTA does not withhold any taxes and you will pay it in a _lump sum. A word of advice ... set money aside regularly. PI.AN TO PAY CLOSE TO A THIRD OF YOUR INCOME IN TAXES AND SOCIAL SECURITY. For Foreigners: Foreigners working at OTA are likely to be contractors. It is important that you start working out your visa status as soon as you know you will be working here. While the process is fairly straightforward, it can take a long time--certainly longer than the INS claims it will. On one occasion visa problems caused a contractor to cancel a Christmas trip home at the last moment. The personnel office knows the procedure, so contact Bill Norris as soon as you can to get the paperwork going. A problem is that early contracts can often be for only a few months, which is as long as it takes to get a visa, and as contracts are renewed, so you have to keep renewing your visa. Those coming from being a student in an American University can Page 47
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usually use the "practical training" allowance of 12 or 18 months that goes with Fl and Jl visas for their OTA work, but if you intend to stay longer, start on getting the new visa approved well before this period is up. The actual process for an HlB Gob specific) visa is the following. OTA describes in a letter to the INS your job and your unique qualifications for it and makes the application on your behalf. You will probably be asked to compose this letter for the personnel director to sign. Then, we hope, a month or two later, you receive word that your application has been approved. This approval is not itself the visa: you get that when next you leave the U.S., by visiting the embassy overseas. American embassies are busy places, it can be worth making an appointment if your schedule is tight, and even then you will have to wait. T_ake all the paperwork and two photographs with you (and a book). The other issue foreigners should check is their tax requirements at home: you can probably reclaim tax paid on dividends from savings at home, for instance. You should also find out about your social security commitments here and at home. Last words: Once you have organized these additional elements into your work life, you do not have to worry about them anymore. Then, you can concentrate on being an RA. Relax and enjoy it Page48
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INTRODUCTION TO D.C. Like many RA's you may have come to D.C. because of your job or friends. As a result, you may actually know very little about the "Capital City" other than what you may have found out as an eight grader on a class trip. Washington is an interesting and exciting place to live. However, there are many faces to this city and there is much to know about finding your way around D.C.: the best and cheapest places to live; where to eat, drink and be merry; and generally how to take advantage of working on "the Hill" and living in the Metropolitan area. D.C. is divided into four sections, Northwest, Northeast, Southeast and Southwest. The Capitol is the center of the city and the point from which the quadrants' boundaries radiate. Capitol Hill spreads into all four regions. All of the quadrants contain residential as well as business districts and are diverse in their resident population. In addition, there is a larger "Metropolitan area" that includes all of D.C., Northern Virginia and several nearby Maryland counties. OTA employees live in all three parts of the Metropolitan area and will tell you pros and cons of each one. Getting around D.C. is relatively easy. There are any number of ways to traverse this fairly small, but sometimes very confusing city. We have relatively safe and extensive public transportation system, depending on where you are going. METRO rail and METRO bus service is available throughout D.C. and into many areas of Maryland and Virginia. At any METRO rail stop you can pick up a map of the system and get information about buses. It is important to remember that fares vary depending on your destination and the time of day you are traveling. If you have a car you need to find out if you must register it in your Ward in order to_ park on your street. Some areas of the city have free, unlimited parking, others require that you have a Ward sticker if you want to leave your car on the street for an extended period of time. You can get information about car registration and parking at the Department of Motor Vehicles. People do take cabs here, but be alert; D.C. cabs do not Page49
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have meters and charge based on a zone system. Every time you cross into a new zone you are charged more money. Sometimes drivers will take you out of your way, into new zones, so that they can charge you more money. On occasion your driver may have no idea where he/she is talcing you. If you are planning to bike around D.C. you can use bike paths where available or brave the streets. Many people bike to and from work so you will not be out there alone. There is a bike rack on B 1, or you can bring your bike into your office. If you walk, we suggest that you stick to the sidewalks. Whichever way you travel be aware of the fact that you are in a city and that crime does happen here. There are many options when it comes to living situations in the D.C. area. Many RA's live within walking distance of OTA, while others live in Maryland or Virginia. One of the most common living arrangements is the "group house." They vary in size and atmosphere. Other young D.C. residents may choose to live in one, two or three bedroom apartments. Very often the most affordable apartments are basement efficiencies. These too vary in size and quality. Be careful when renting one, D.C. basements tend to get damp so check for mold, etc. Other OTA RA's find it more affordable to live in Virginia or Maryland. Although they both may seem far away, actually Virginia is closer than many areas of D.C .. Apartment complexes, high rises and townhouses are common in Northern Virginia and these can often be cheaper than a living arrangement within the city. Whichever living arrangement you are interested in there are some easy ways to find housing. (1) There are several newspapers in the area that list houses and apartments to rent as well as houses to share. The City Paper, a free weekly newspaper that comes out on Thursdays; The Washington Blade, the D.C. Gay and Lesbian paper; The Hill Rag. a free newspaper focusing on the Hill; Roll Call, Congress' newspaper; The Washintnon Post and The Washington Times. (2) There are bulletin boards all over the city where people put up advertisements for rooms and apartments along with many other things. There are Chesapeake Bagel Bakeries all over the city as well as in Maryland and Virginia that maintain bulletin boards. The nearest one to OTA is located one block from the Capitol Page 50
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on Pennsylvania Avenue. At Dupont Circle, along with a Bagel Bakery there is a restaurant called Food For Thought on Connecticut Avenue, that maintains a huge board. There are also boards at food coops and Bob's Ice Cream stores around the city, as well as in the basement of Dirksen, Cannon and Rayburn buildings. Other RA's can help you find the exact location of these places. (3) Word of mouth is another way to find out about places to live. Watch your E-mail for notices and ask other RA's. We all know that it is a pain to find housing and each of us has connections that may be of use to one another. There are many interesting things to do and see in D.C. itself as well as in nearby areas. Baltimore, Annapolis, Richmond and other cities, towns and counties provide great escapes from Washington D.C.. Buses, trains and cars can get you to many of these places. In addition, take advantage of the free or cheap entertainment found through out the area. The Smithsonian, Library of Congress, National Zoo and other places all have extensive programs through out the year. There are over 9 Universities/Colleges in and around the D.C. area. They too have varied and relatively cheap (if not free) programs all year round. You can find out about many of these activities by reading the free local papers and the "Weekend" sections of the Washington Post and the Washinp>n Time. The area is a diverse and interesting place to live Welcome to D.C.. Page 51
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MAP OF CAPITOL HILL 11"'""''.' ... ";'"llll mll 11111 1 ................... 111 =-41llllllllll Ill AIT11TTffl'ftJF.FFEl
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I j Cartography Is Destiny: To compute your fare, find your points of origin and destination, then figure out which zones they rie1n. Within Zone 1, subzone boundaries are marked by dotted lines. Outside Zone 1-here zones and subzones amount to the same thing-II boundaries are marked by wide, black-edged lines. Landmarks and non-boundary streets like New Hampshire and Georgia Avenues are also included to help you get your bearings, After you figure out where you are and where you're going. look at the chart to see how many zones you'll cross; that number will determine your fare. TO SUBZONE zo,... ,., .. 1 l s $.In-ti ftUHft9er Ecfl AI &, S"uui AddlOoa11 Rl41t1t Rt .......... ... ,. ........ ,., 1n ca ...... $2.60 un JOO 300 ,n .o '1$ ~-20 6 20 IH 1.20 IH IA 18 IC 10 2A 28 2C 20 2E lA 38 JC 30 3E lF JG 3H A a c 40 'I: 4F G ... 5A IA -I 1 2 2 2 2 2 l l l l l l l l s 18 I I 2 2 2 2 l 3 l 3 J 3 J l s IC 1 I 2 2 2 2 2 l 3 l 3 l l 3 l 10 I I I -2 2 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 l 3 3 3 5 2A 2 2 2 2 I 2 3 3 2 2 2 l 3 J 3 5 5 5 5 5 6 2B 2 2 2 2 2 1 2 3 3 3 2 3 3 l 3 3 5 s 5 6 2C 2 2 2 2 3 2 I 2 3 l 2 2 2 : 3 3 3 l 5 20 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 I 2 3 J 2 2 2 3 5 5 l 3 3 3 I.I.I 11 2 2 2 2 2 3 3 2 I 3 3 l 2 2 5 6 5 3 J z 3A 0 38 N a> JC 3 3 3 } 3 3 I 2 3 5 5 5 2 3 l s 6 6 6 6 7 3 l 3 3 2 2 3 2 I 2 3 5 5 5 2 2 2 6 6 6 6 7 3 l 3 3 3 2 2 3 3 2 I 1 l 5 5 5 3 2 2 3 6 6 6 7 :, 30 w lE 3 3 3 3 3 2 3 l 2 I 3 5 5 3 :z 5 s s 6 3 3 3 l 3 2 2 3 5 3 3 t 2 l 6 6 l 2 2 J 5 3F 0 3G a: 3H II. 3 3 3 3 3 2 J 5 5 5 2 \ 2 6 6 6 3 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 l 2 2 5 5 5 3 2 I 3 6 6 6 5 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 2 s 5 5 3 I s 6 6 6 5 5 s CA 3 3 s 2 2 3 s 6 6 6 5 I 2 3 5 7 1 1 1 8 a 3 3 5 5 3 2 2 6 6 6 6 2 2 6 1 1 1 8 c 3 l s l 2 2 J 6 6 6 J 2 2 5 6 1 1 8 o 4E 5 3 5 s 3 2 J 5 6 s 2 1 5 6 6 .J_ 5 l 3 6 6 .. 2 J 5 1 6 s I 2 J 4F 5 5 J 6 6 6 5 2 2 2 s 1 1 6 5 2 I 2 J J G 5 5 3 J 6 6 6 5 3 2 2 1 1 7 6 3 2 2 2 ... s 5 J J 6 6 6 5 J 1 1 6 J 2 2 5A 5 5 5 5 6 6 5 1 1 6 5 J 5 8 8 8 1 J 2 2 IA 18 IC ,o 2A 28 2C 20 1E 3A JO JC JO JE JF JC Jt< 4A u c o e 4' C ... ~A 1 I 1 1 A 8 C 0 2A 28 2C 20 2E JA 38 JC 30 3E JF JG lH 4A e C 40 E F 4G .. SA Deo..th'' I No
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LAYOUT OF OTA On floors 1,3,4,5 there_ is at least one police officer during business hours BASEMENT 2 (B2) reserved OTA parking smoking area (table and chairs) vending machine (soda & snacks) random pieces of furniture for your office ( actually in garage) BASEMENT 1 (Bl) bike rack some reserved OTA parking (only park in reserved spots) FIRST FWOR -street level entrance non-OTA establishments OTA conference center kitchen (microwave, coffee [$.25 w / own cup, $.50 w / out], ice machine, water cooler) lounge (television, couches, conference style table) conference rooms bathrooms Police desk SECOND FLOOR Personnel office Publishing office part of Energy Program shower (in S111te 209) non-OTA suites THIRDFWOR Information Center Service Center (fax machine, xerox machines, supplies, mail) BioApps Program TCTProgram SET Program ITEProgram FOURTHFLOOR Energy Program Oceans Program Health Program ITEProgram F&RR Program soda machine FIFfHFLOOR Page52
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ISC Program Office of the Director Assistant Directors' Offices Contractor Office Operations Manager Office Administrative Services Budget and Finance office Information Marketing office TIS OMEGA Travel Services Congressional and Public Affairs Lounge w / microwave Police Station Medical Office General Counsel Page 53
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" GLOSSARY AD Assistant Director. OTA has 3, one per division. Advisory panel Individuals deemed to be experts in fields related to study who are invited by OTA to provide direction for the study and review drafts; usually will meet 2-3 times. B2 basement second floor with seating area, soda machine, and candy machine. Background paper Work released that does not contain policy options. Study resides at TAB for approval for 72 hours~ Brownbag luncheon guest speaker series in conference center. CBO Congressional Budget Office. Sister agency that reports on legislation affecting US budget. Conference center first floor meeting rooms. CRS Congressional Research Service. Sister agency that performs short-term research for members of Congress and staff. Current contents listing of current contents of all periodicals received by Info Center, released weekly. Director's briefing project staff meet with Director, division AD, Congressional Affairs and others to discuss project. Page 54
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Director's seminar speaker series organized by Dr. Gibbons. Discotech OTA Ultimate Frisbee team E-mail communications option available over OTA computer network. First thursday a meeting of the Director, the AD's, program managers, and senior associates held the first Thursday of every month. Focus bi-weekly office newsletter published by IC. Galleys first phase in publications process in which chapters type-set to columns. GAO General Accounting Office. Sister agency that evaluates government spending programs. GPO Government Printing Office. Prints OTA reports. The Hill neighborhood where OTA is located. Short for Capital Hill. Info center 3rd floor library. Has all reference materials to assist in your research effort. Inside mail mail delivered on the Hill. Newsmakers service consisting of OTA relevant daily news provided electronically by info center. Page55
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., OA Office Administrator. One in each program. OTA Tech Sox OTA softball team. Page proofs last stage of publishing process before the study is out the door to GPO. Pubs Publication office. Prepares report for printing. Review memorandum memo prepared for Director at end of study to show how reviewers comments were incorporated into report. a.le.a. monster memo RAISE Research Assistants/ Analysts In Search of Enlightenment. Forum for RA's to discuss projects and variety of other topics. Senior Associates senior analysts nominated by the Director to elevated position. Service Center 3rd floor office where large copy orders are placed. System Support Center Function of TIS; place to call when faced with daunting computer problems. TIS Telecommunications and Information Systems. TAAC Technology Assessment Advisory Council. Group of 12 private and public sector individuals who advise TAB. Page56
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TAB Technology Assessment aoard. Made up of 6 senators and 6 representatives equally divided between parties. Appoints agency Director and approves project proposals and final reports. voice mail message service used by some OTA programs. workshop individuals representing all sides of an issue gathered to discuss particular aspect of study, or individuals with particular expertise to provide info on subjects not well documented literature. Wye Autumn meeting of senior management to discuss OTA, the nation, and the world. So named because it's located at Wye, MD. XY Write Word processing program used by OTA Page 57
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' ,. Skip Stiles I REMEMBER HOW PAINRJL IT was when I started out on the Hill more than 10 years ago. When I watch that excruciating process of education being repeated by this year's newcomers, I realize it's time to provide a concise orientation manual. So here it is. Hill Inhabitants Membe,s: Easy to spot. They are the ones with the best haircuts and the deepest winter tans (see .. factfinding trips .. in Hill Language sec tion). They are usually accompa nied by an earnest-looking staffer at their elbow, engaged in important mumblings generated from impor tant memos produced from those worn, brown aa;ordion folders that Hill staffers always cany. More im portant Members are marked by larger groups of these remora-like staffen, occasionally mixed with reporters feeding on trailing tidbits of conversation. Major exceptions to this deflni tion are Members who predate the blow-dry days of politics and more closely resemble your Uncle Bill from Des Moines. These Members can frequently be seen buying their own egg salad sandwiches in the carry-out or _cashing their own checks at the credit union. They are also identified by such sartorial features as: wide ties, shirts with cigar-ash bum holes, mailorder shoes. and suits purchased for Lyndon B. Johnson's inaugural. Staff: With brown accordion folders clutched under their arms, they can be seen striding purpose fully through the halls at about Skip Stiles is staff director of a sub-.. committee of the House Committee on Agriculture. This article is re printed with permission from the author and from Roll Call, the Newspaper of Congress. 18 THE BUREAUCRAT/FALL 1987 BUCKSLIP A Field Guide to Capitol Hill twic~ the speed of everyon,e else. They usually trail paper scraps and profanity in their wake like the mist curling behind a tractor trailer high balling down a rain-soaked high way. Because of the lousy pay and long hours, most congressional staf. fers are young enough to be carded at even the most permissive bar. They fall into four main categories: staffers working until they can go back to school to get a law degree or an MBA; staffers working while attending night school to get a law degree or an MBA: staffers work after getting a law degree or an MBA until they can get hired by a lobbying fll'ffl; and Hill rats. The Hill rats category is the most interesting group and contains staf fers in Member's personal offices and on committees who begin sen tences with the phrase. "Now, when Richard Nixon tried that .. Although many of these people have law degrees and MBAs, they have attached themselves to a Member or subject area so firmly that only death, mid-life crisis, or a change in the leadership will dislodge them. Hill rats rarely leave the Hill to run for Congress, fearing the loss of political power that would result if they win. Constituents: These are the most fearea people on the Hill: voters from back home who have come to Washington to see how their investment in democracy is doing. They are usually seen wandering about in clusters of confusion, blocking hallways, overcrowding elevators, and asking passersby for directions to the subway to the Capitol. To view these people is to be con vinced that there really are people capable of writing those letters to .. Walter Scott's Personality Parade" in the Sunday magazine. This group exhibits a pride of ownership in its OC investment like 10-share common stockholders on a factory tour. Their power is ab solute. and they can tum the haughtiest politician into a favm.ing sycophant by merely mentioning their hometown. Moody. faddish, and occasionally i1ra,tional, consti tuents are blessed and cursed by Members and staffers. But they are never ignored. Lobbyists: They're the people with the best suits and watches. Most lobbyists are former Members or staff and can be found outside .. .And thank you Sam Donaldson, for giving all us 5. 0. B.s at home a wlce on Capitol Hill!"
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hearing rooms in clusters assuming familiarity with each other, Mem-Recognize Stran_ge Inhabitants, Learn the J hers, or staff. Until the advent of breakfast fundraisers, most lobby. ists worked part days and billed for full. ones. "11te hodcarriers of the _legislative process, lobbyists deliverannloads of paper deceptively labeled "Fact Sheets,'" which are stored and dis~--.,,._,......., carded by Hill staffers monthly. Given enough lead time before an important vote, lobbyists will use computers to generate letters of concern from constitutents which will be answered by Hill computers generating letters of placation. This process is called .. direct-mail lob bying... It closely resembles the communication achieved by turn ing on two television sets facing each other. Support Staff: These are the people who push the "Down" buttons in the morning to spend their days toiling in windowless rooms be neath the legislative levels. Carpet repairmen, venetian-blind mechan ics. and cafeteria workers-they are the only reason anything gets done on Capitol Hill. These folks are also the best source of gossip on who is doing what to whom, and many are on a lust-name basis with the Speaker. Anyone interested in getting a mail ing out on time, holding a flawless nception, or completing any task within the ridiculous time limits demanded by Members knows how important it is to be chummy with support staff. lnfems: College-age volunteer staft'ers, interns answer all the mail and have the best information on where good receptions are on The Hill Most are the sons or daughters of home-state politicians or contri butors and are usually pre-law or pm-MBA students. Interns should be treated with civility since many Clfthem will return to Washington in important agency staff positions and may become useful sources. 1.e,gislative Liaison Staff: These am the sons and daughters of politi cians and contributors who sup ported the president's campaign and now represent e~ecutive Staffer Old-Fashioned Member branch agencies before Congress. Prevented &om lobbying, they .. in_ form" Congress-although the only useful information they possess is the phone numbers of the career bureaucrats in their agencies who can provide factually correct an swers to constituent inquiries. They tend to cluster around assistant secretaries the way congressional staffers cluster around Members. Hill Language It's necessary first to learn the terms of art used to desaibe group ings of Hill inhabitants. Committee: a group of Members organized to find ways to blame agencies for not responding to the issues. Select Committee: a group of Members organized to exploit a specific issue of national concern until public interest wanes. Task Force: a group of Members organized to work on a difficult issue and produce a report, thus re lieving public pressure for action on the issue (e.g., "Campaign Re form Task Force"). There are other, less formal terms to describe groupings of Hill in-New-Fashioned Lobbyist Member habitants. Just as one calls a group ing of sea creatures a .. school of fish, .. politicians describing them selves use the term a "cunning of politicians." On the other hand, reporters use the tenn a "hubris of politicians," which home-state folks will call an "excess of politicians." In the same vein, Congressional staff may be a "fawning of staff," a "whelping of staff." or a "rile of staff." Other terms: a .. scurry of pages," an .. entreaty of constituents," a "press of reporters," and an .. unction of lobbyists." Then, neophytes must learn general political jargon. which leans to the euphemistic. For example, re cesses are called .. district work periods." Similarly, overseas jaunts are called .. fact-finding trips ... with most facts conveniently grouping themselves around equatorial re gions during the winter. A Hill veteran never speaks of a tax increase, but uses instead the term "revenue enhancement. A .. deficit reduction amendment" is a proposed social-program cut, while "infrastructure improvements" are good old-fashioned pork-barrel projects. THE BUREAUCRAT/FALL 1987 19 I
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RuJe.;-of Behavior With a fix on The Hill's in habitants and some of the basic lan guage skills cited above, the newcomer can avoid major embarrass ment. But, to get ahead, the new staffer must master these final Do ~s a.ti Don't's: Never say "my" bill. Staffers wlJo refer to their boss's legislation as their own have egos at the thin ends of nonnalcy. More importantly. too close an association with a project prevents you from hiding behind someone else's mistakes. Never give a Member the original copy of a document. Members have an uncanny ability to lose any original document handed to them. Conversely. when you ask for a raise, Members will instantly be able to find that 1978 speech you wrote that erroneously interpreted changes made to federal agriculture programs. Get to know the cop at the front desk of the office building who works the 4 to 8 p.m. shift. He'll know which catering firms are working which receptions, which can mean the difference between a dinner of eggs or a standing rib roast. These cops also know who is sponsoring the various events, making it easier for you to develop a plausible cover story to get by the reception line at the door. When planning a HilJ meeting, always alJow for at least 15 minutes' delay. This is due to the strange temporal logic of the Hill, which goes: important people are busy peo ple; busy people are always late; therefore. late people are impor tant people. Senate staffers, viewing them selves as most important. are always the last to show up. Never take yourself or your job seriously. No one outside the belt way does. so why should you? Always remember that the average v.oter cares more about a sale on lOW-40 motor oil at the co-op than about your boss's position on the strategic oil reserve. 20 THE BUREAUCRAT/FALL 1987 f Editorial Guidance for Bureaucrat Authors The Bureaucrat is dedicated to fostering, developing, and otherwise encourag ing the utmost in prof cssionalism and performance by public managers at all levels. Our audience includes practitioners i~ federal intergovernmental programs and those academic profcssio~s. -students, consultants, and public managers at other levels who arc interested in the effective perfo~ of public management. -Aniclc:s must be writtento practicing manage~. Avoid academic or profes sional_ jargon unless it is central to the subject and is clearly explained. -Anicles must no< exceed IS double-spaced typewritten pages, including endnotes and graphics. Most subjects appropriate fort7he Bureaucrat can be exposed taudy in less than 15 pages. -Preface the manuscript with l) an abstract of I 00 words or Jess summarizing the topic and principal conclusions. 2) the author(sf full name and address, and 3) a two or three sentence biographical description of the author(s). -Article tides should be succinct-four to six words at most. Short headings and subheadings should be included-at least one per manuscript page. -Use endnotes only, and only where absolutely necessary (no more than five). Nonnally. adequate references can be included in the text. -Submit figures and tables as original black ink drawings. negatives, or glossy prints only. n:ady for reproduction. Include reference copies with duplicate manuscripts. Lettering should be large enough to be legible after reduction of up to SO percent. -Unsolicited aniclcs arc published on a space-available basis. and selections for a given issue arc based on the theme of that issue. Substantial delay in publica tion of accepccd articles is sometimes unavoidable. Authors will be notified of acceptance by the editor, nonnally in one to three months (aniclcs arc usually reviewed by two editorial board members). Shortly before publication a copyright release form wiU be sent to authors. -Three copies of each manuscript should be sent to: Elaine L. Orr 9 Pine Avenue Takoma Park, l\ID 20912 Not Our Style The Bureaucrat-of, by; and for Bureaucrats and Their Friends
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