Secrecy and National Commercial Information Policy and Secrecy: Its Role in National Scientific and Technical Information Policy.

TRUEAND CORRECT KNOWLEDGE is the result of a complex process in which ideas and information can be checked, tested, and challenged continuously and without restraint by all interested parties. Many who adhere to this view also believe that scientific discovery and technological innovation become difficult or impossible in the absence of open communication within the research community. These assertions are widely held to be true among scientists and engineers. In modern history, however, military competition between adversaries has fueled pragmatic efforts to limit or discourage open communication of ideas and information in many fields of research. Scientific and technical information is a major product of federally sponsored research. National scientific and technical information policy, like many broad areas of government concern, is not anywhere articulated in a comprehensive form. Agencies that sponsor basic and applied research in support of broad mission needs-such as the Departments of Defense and Energy and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)-each have their own policies and practices for dissemination and access to information produced. Those seeking to understand scientific and technical information policy must derive it from numerous statutes, legislative histories, regulations, and executive branch directives. Policies for restricting the availability or communication of scientific and technical information are similarly mandated by a