The Technology and Public Purpose (TAPP) Project, led by Belfer Center Director, MIT Innovation Fellow, and former Secretary of Defense Ash Carter, works to ensure that emerging technologies are developed and man-aged in ways that serve the overall public good.

Over the past three years, the TAPP Project has researched how Congress learns about and acts on emerging technology topics. With input from over 200 current and former members of Congress, congressional staffers, busi-ness and non-profit leaders, academics, and others, the TAPP Project has published two previous reports in its Building a 21st Century Congress series. 

This report builds on the TAPP Project’s two previous efforts, and similarly relies on the time and expertise of the hundreds of individuals who inform this work. We are grateful for everyone who shared their thoughts and per-spectives on congressional capacity and options for reform.  

We are especially grateful to the following individuals, who offered their per-spectives on technology assessment and congressional capacity or reviewed drafts of this report: Leisel Bogan, Zach Graves, Marci Harris, John Holdren, Lorelei Kelly, Travis Moore, Daniel Schuman, Carmel Shachar, and many others.