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The President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) is a body appointed by the President comprising the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and up to 45 members from outside the Federal government with diverse expertise in science, technology, and the impact of science and technology on the Nation, to provide advice on matters of science and technology policy. Executive Order 13385, signed September 29, 2005, charges the PCAST with assuming the responsibilities assigned to the President's Information Technology Advisory Committee (a Federal Advisory Committee) under the High-Performance Computing Act of 1991 (Public Law 102-194) and the Next Generation Internet Research Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-305).
In this role, the PCAST provides the Administration with expert independent advice on maintaining America's preeminence in advanced information technologies, including high performance computing, cyber security and information assurance, and large scale networking. As part of this assessment, the PCAST reviews the Federal Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program. Through these efforts, the PCAST helps guide the Administration’s efforts to accelerate the development and adoption of information technologies vital for American prosperity in the 21st century.
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