Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President
Congress established OSTP in 1976 with a broad mandate to advise the President and others within the Executive Office of the President on the affects of science and technology on domestic and international affairs

The office announced the creation of a federal interagency working group to identify gaps in scientific knowledge about abnormal prion proteins, believed to be the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and other diseases, and promote coordination of prior research projects by federal agencies.