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COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE,
AND TRANSPORTATION

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510

December 7, 1978

Dr. Joshua Lederberg
President

Rockefeller University
66th Street at York Avenue
New York, New York 10021

Dear Dr. Lederberg:

I am writing to request your views on the Foundation for International i
Scientific and Technological Cooperation Act which I plan to introduce —

in the next Congress. The purposes of the legislation and the con-

cerns that prompted its preparation are discussed in the accompany-

ing statement. A copy of the draft legislation is also enclosed.

The Carter Administration is considering a proposal to establish a
Foundation for International Technological Cooperation. Although

this proposal will share many of the objectives of my legislation,
it appears there will be certain differences. With that in mind,

I would welcome your comments on the following issues:

~-Should the Foundation be independent with ifs own Board of
Directors, as provided for in my bill, or should it be placed with
other aid agencies within the Administration's proposed International
Development Cooperation Agency (IDCA)? My bill assumes that independ-
ence will enhance the quality of scientific and technological work
and give the Foundation greater credibility and confidence in its
dealings with the third world,

--Should the Foundation's programs be identified as in the
Administration's listing of specific problem areas such as nutrition-
al improvement in poor families and increasing rural productivity,
or should the functions of the Foundation be left to its Board of
Directors? Should AID programs be transferred to the Foundation as
in the Administration's proposal?

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PAGE TWO
--To what degree, if any, should non-U.S. nationals participate
in the activities and management of the Foundation?
Your comments and recommendations on other aspects of the legis- :
lation are also welcome. Your views will be evaluated carefully SY

prior to preparing the final version of the legislation. I would
appreciate receiving your comments by January 8, 1979.

With every good wish,

Sincerely,

My é Ede Arve

Subconmittee on Science, Technology
and Space

Enclosures