ments , ▁which ▁are ▁made ▁available ▁to ▁the ▁public , ▁have ▁become ▁essential ▁vehicles ▁for ▁understanding ▁science ▁and ▁technology ▁( S & T ) ▁imp lications ▁of ▁policies ▁considered ▁by ▁the ▁Congress . ▁ ▁Since ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁Congress ▁has ▁established ▁a ▁permanent ▁T A ▁function ▁within ▁G A O . ▁This ▁new ▁oper ational ▁role ▁aug ments ▁G A O ' s ▁performance ▁aud its ▁related ▁to ▁S & T ▁issues , ▁including ▁effect iveness ▁and ▁efficiency ▁of ▁U . S . ▁federal ▁programs . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁G A O ▁joined ▁European ▁Parliament ary ▁Technology ▁Ass ess ment ▁( EP TA ) ▁as ▁an ▁associate ▁member . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 9 , ▁G A O ▁established ▁a ▁new ▁mission ▁team , ▁the ▁Science , ▁Technology ▁Ass ess ment , ▁and ▁Anal ytics ▁team , ▁which ▁has ▁primary ▁responsibility ▁for ▁technology ▁assess ments . ▁ ▁G A O ▁has ▁published ▁a ▁T A ▁Design ▁Hand book ▁to ▁help ▁technology ▁assess ment ▁teams ▁analyze ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁technology ▁and ▁make ▁complex ▁issues ▁more ▁easily ▁understood ▁and ▁useful ▁to ▁polic ym akers . ▁G A O ▁defines ▁T A ▁as ▁the ▁" th or ough ▁and ▁bal anced ▁analysis ▁of ▁significant ▁primary , ▁secondary , ▁indirect , ▁and ▁delayed ▁interactions ▁of ▁a ▁techn ological ▁innov ation ▁with ▁society , ▁the ▁environment , ▁and ▁the ▁economy ▁and ▁the ▁present ▁and ▁for ese en ▁consequences ▁and ▁impact s ▁of ▁those ▁interactions ." ▁Rec ogn izing ▁that ▁the