As we’re looking through the reforms of the last year, I realized that the Office of Technology Assessment provision was recently passed in the consolidated omnibus appropriations bill. We pushed for the OTA’s reinstatement, and previously wrote about its impending passage.

Here’s the current relevant text, from govtrack, of HR 2764, the “Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008.”

GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE

Salaries and Expenses

For necessary expenses of the Government Accountability Office, including not more than $12,500 to be expended on the certification of the Comptroller General of the United States in connection with official representation and reception expenses; temporary or intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, but at rates for individuals not more than the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay for level IV of the Executive Schedule under section 5315 of such title; hire of one passenger motor vehicle; advance payments in foreign countries in accordance with section 3324 of title 31, United States Code; benefits comparable to those payable under sections 901(5), (6), and (8) of the Foreign Service Act of 1980 (22 U.S.C. 4081(5), (6), and (8)); and under regulations prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States, rental of living quarters in foreign countries, $501,000,000: Provided, That not more than $5,413,000 of payments received under section 782 of title 31, United States Code, shall be available for use in fiscal year 2008: Provided further, That not more than $2,097,000 of reimbursements received under section 9105 of title 31, United States Code, shall be available for use in fiscal year 2008: Provided further, That of the total amount provided, up to $2,500,000 is for technology assessment studies: Provided further, That this appropriation and appropriations for administrative expenses of any other department or agency which is a member of the National Intergovernmental Audit Forum or a Regional Intergovernmental Audit Forum shall be available to finance an appropriate share of either Forum’s costs as determined by the respective Forum, including necessary travel expenses of non-Federal participants: Provided further, That payments hereunder to the Forum may be credited as reimbursements to any appropriation from which costs involved are initially financed.