US Needs Better Agency Coordination, Processes to Implement National Tech Strategy, Report Says

While the U.S. needs a comprehensive technology strategy, it first should create new bureaucratic processes to implement that strategy or else risk uncoordinated policies with little impact, the Center for a New American Security said in an April 20 report. The report, which builds off previous research (see 2103160047) by the think tank that called for a better technology strategy to counter China, argues that current U.S. agencies and government bodies are unequipped to maximize the effectiveness of export controls and other trade policy tools.

“[B]ureaucratic foundations in this space have so far been uncoordinated, under resourced and undervalued,” the report said, adding that the National Security Council, the National Economic Council and others “are not fully equipped to meet the challenge of creating and executing a coherent response to this challenge.” The White House didn’t comment.

CNAS said policymakers have tried to protect critical technologies by applying an “otherwise strong body of authorities in a desultory and ad hoc manner.” It also said export controls are not “executed to their full potential,” calling the Commerce Department’s rollout of emerging and foundational technologies “slow,” a criticism that lawmakers also have levied (see 2104070026).

To help with this effort, President Joe Biden's administration should establish a Technology Competition Coordination Office staffed by officials from a range of agencies and “external exchange assignments” and include a “critical technology directorate” to implement “priority technology areas.” The office should also work with the Office of Management and Budget to “launch and oversee ‘get well plans’ with agencies where authority exceeds execution and performance, such as export controls,” the report said. “These may include infusion of talent, resources, or legislative authority.”

The U.S. should also increase capacity by building “specialized career fields” for technology experts in government, the report said. One of those fields could include a category for “export control specialists,” CNAS said, or “experts with deeper understandings of private-sector incentives for innovation investment to staff strategy pillar initiatives.”