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Office of Technology Policy. This office

ing uncompetitive industries by enforcing

directs many of the corporate welfare pro-

"antidumping" regulations. Free trade

grams in the Department of Commerce. It

should be encouraged, but it should be done

would not be necessary if the federal govern-

by means of free-trade agreements, not subsi-

ment were not involved in giving money and

dizing certain industries and penalizing for-

benefits to private industry.

eign imports.

Manufacturing Extension Partnership. This

Department of Defense

program provides grants to fund the creation

Army Corps of Engineers. The Army Corps of

and maintenance of dozens of extension cen-

Engineers builds, operates, and maintains the

ters to assist small and medium-sized manu-

nation's inland waterways system, including

facturing firms in making use of modern

dams and other structures. Those activities

manufacturing and production technolo-

subsidize the private barge companies and

gies. General taxpayer funds should not be

bulk commodity shippers who make frequent

used to provide assistance to one specific

use of the waterways. In addition, the corps'

industry, as they are in this case.

water supply and hydroelectric projects subsi-

Minority Business Development Agency. The

dize the water and power supplies of industry

Minority Business Development Agency

General taxpayer

in the areas served by those projects. Its opera-

attempts to promote the development of

funds should not

tions could be privatized so an efficient toll-

minority-owned businesses through the provi-

based system or private pricing system could

sion of management and technical assistance

be used to pro-

be used to fund those activities.

and assistance in gaining access to capital. The

vide assistance to

Cargo Preference Program. The Cargo

MBDA's activities often focus on helping

one specific

Preference Act of 1904 requires all goods pro-

minority-owned businesses chase government

cured by the military to be transported by

grants and contracts. To encourage the devel-

industry.

U.S. merchant marine vessels. This monop-

opment of minority-owned businesses, the

oly protects the merchant marine from com

-

federal government should stop showering

petition with foreign shipping companies

them with taxpayer money and instead focus

that can typically transport goods more

on removing the many government impedi-

cheaply. It also protects the merchant marine

ments to the formation and growth of minor-

from competition with other more efficient

ity firms, such as unnecessary regulations and

forms of transportation, such as airplanes.

the onerous burden of taxation.

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-

This agency gives money to companies and

tion: Non-Weather-Related Activities. The non-

industry consortiums to undertake cost-

weather-related portion of the National

shared research projects to develop technology

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

that would have a "dual-purpose" application:

budget funds activities such as the analysis of

technology that can be used by the U.S. mili-

fishery industry information, fishery trade

tary and also has a commercial purpose. One

and export promotion, and industry assis-

of the stated goals of the program is the

tance programs through the National Marine

"commercialization" of the technology devel-

Fisheries Service, all of which provide benefits

oped with taxpayer money.6 8 The participat-

to the fishing industry. The American

Fisheries Promotion Act gives grants directly

ing companies retain title and license rights to

to fisheries to increase their productivity.

the inventions so they can sell the products in

the private marketplace.6 9 The Department of

Other non-weather-related activities include

the mapping and charting services, which are

Defense should buy technologies in the open

used by private industry, of the National

market when they are developed, not subsidize

Environmental Satellite, Data, and Informa-

the development of technology that has clear

tion Service. Those services could be provided

money-making potential for private firms out-

by the private sector.

side the military demand for them.

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