[Fwd: [TH] 1998-08-10 Strengthening US Leadership in Information
Bob Pyke Jr (mailto:repyke@akron.infi.net)
Tue, 11 Aug 1998 15:08:10 -0400
Message-ID: <35D0969A.803@akron.infi.net>
Date: Tue, 11 Aug 1998 15:08:10 -0400
From: Bob Pyke Jr <mailto:repyke@akron.infi.net>
Subject: [Fwd: [TH] 1998-08-10 Strengthening US Leadership in Information
To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
Bob Pyke Jr
Marlene M. Maheu wrote:
>
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>
> THE WHITE HOUSE
>
> Office of the Press Secretary
> (Chicago, Illinois)
> ________________________________________________________________________
> For Immediate Release August 10, 1998
>
> President Clinton Welcomes Plan to Strengthen
> U.S. Leadership in Information Technology
>
> A report released today by the President's Information Technology
> Advisory Committee (PITAC), whose membership includes many of the
> nation's top computing and communications experts, sets out a bold
> agenda for ensuring America's leadership in the Information Age by
> expanding government investments in long-term research and development
> in technologies such as computers, networks, and software. Such
> investments drive economic growth, generate new knowledge, create new
> jobs, build new industries, ensure our national security, protect the
> environment, and improve the health and quality of life for our people.
>
> In accepting this report, President Clinton thanked the Committee
> in a letter for their work in developing a research agenda for the
> Nation, and renewed his commitment to make significant increases in
> computing and communications research in the years ahead. "Our nation's
> economic future and the welfare of our citizens depend on continued
> advances and innovation in the information technologies which have
> produced so many remarkable developments in science, engineering,
> medicine, business, and education," the President said.
>
> Vice President Gore, author of the High Performance Computing Act
> of 1991 and long-time supporter of the "information superhighway," also
> voiced his support for research in information technology. "Information
> technology can be a powerful tool for achieving many of our most
> important national objectives," the Vice President said, "such as
> creating jobs and growing our economy, providing our children with a
> world-class education, expanding access to high-quality health care in
> rural America, and strengthening our national security."
>
> The PITAC report notes that the growth in today's information
> technology (IT) sector is leading the growth of all other sectors of the
> economy. The Federal Reserve reports that during the past five years
> production in computers, semiconductors, and communications equipment
> quadrupled at a time when total industrial production grew by 28
> percent. These three industries account for one-third of the total
> growth in production since 1992. As we approach the 21st century, the
> opportunities for innovation in IT are larger than they ever have been
> -- and more important.
>
> During his June 1998 commencement address at the Massachusetts
> Institute of Technology, the President asked Dr. Neal Lane, his new
> science advisor, to prepare a detailed plan on computing and
> communications research. He has directed Dr. Lane to work with our
> nation's scientific community and to carefully consider the new research
> directions identified in the Committee's report.
>
> The Committee stressed the importance of Clinton Administration
> initiatives in computing and communications such as the Next Generation
> Internet, the Department of Energy's DOE 2000 distributed computing
> program, and the National Science Foundation's Knowledge and Distributed
> Intelligence emphasis. This year, President Clinton has proposed
> record increases for civilian research and development to keep America
> at the cutting-edge of science and technology.
>
> Recognizing the critical role that Federal research has played in
> developing modern computing, the Internet, and other Information Age
> technologies, the Committee urged the President to ensure that this
> momentum is maintained. The Committee argued for sharply increased
> support for basic research, giving highest priority to research on
> computer software. They also stressed the importance of allowing the
> research community to "live in the future" and tackle long-term
> high-risk research challenges.
>
> Specifically, the Committee recommend emphasis be placed on:
>
> -- Techniques for developing software that is more dependable and
> reliable;
>
> -- Communication systems which will be able to support billions of
> users and devices that are attached to the network;
>
> -- High-speed computers and software that can deliver useful
> performance that is a thousand times faster than today's most
> powerful supercomputers; and
>
> -- Research that ensures that America's workforce is properly prepared
> for the challenges and opportunities of the Information Age.
>
> In responding to the President's direction, Dr. Lane said "I concur
> with the Committee's conclusion that research in computing and
> communications merits expanded support and is as important to America's
> position of leadership in the 21st Century as any area of research. We
> must rededicate ourselves to cutting-edge R&D in information technology,
> or other nations could pass us by, and that is a risk the United States
> cannot afford. Breathtaking advances in information technologies mean,
> however, that research priorities need to be redefined to take advantage
> of new opportunities. The PITAC report will provide Federal agencies
> with a compelling set of research goals which will provide valuable
> guidance as they prepare plans for our year 2000 budget."
>
> A copy of the Committee's report is available on the World Wide
> Web at http://www.ccic.gov.
>
> 30-30-30