President's Information Technology Advisory Committee
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About PITAC and updates Transmittal Letter
to the President
September 8, 1999
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The President of the United States
The White House
Dear Mr. President:
In accordance with your request we are pleased to submit the President's
Information Technology Advisory Committee's (PITAC) review of the
Information Technology for the 21st Century (IT2) initiative and its
Implementation Plan. We find that the research agenda and agencies'
plans proposed for the IT2 initiative respond directly to the findings
and recommendations of the PITAC as stated in our report "Information
Technology Research: Investing in Our Future" and consequently the
PITAC strongly supports the IT2 initiative.
Both the Administration and the Congress have responded to PITAC's
recommendation to increase federal funding for fundamental research
in information technology (IT). The Information Technology for the
21st Century initiative included in the President's budget request
to Congress and The Network and Information Technology Research and
Development Act (NITRD) introduced by Chairman Sensenbrenner in the
House both directly address the recommendations in the PITAC report.
The IT2 initiative, in the FY2000 budget, proposes $366 million in
increased investments in computing, information, and communications
research and development (R&D). This expands the knowledge base in
fundamental information science, advances the Nation's capabilities
in cutting edge research, and trains the next generation of researchers
who will sustain the Information Revolution well into the 21st Century.
The proposed $366 million for FY 2000 is less than the PITAC recommendation
of $472 million, but is a promising start. In our report the PITAC
recommended a strategic initiative in long-term information technology
R&D. We feel strongly that the federal investment must necessarily
be long term and hope that the Administration will support increases
for future budgets.
PITAC is now especially concerned about the present budget process
and proposed cuts to government agencies central to information technology
research and development. We would like to continue working with the
Administration and members of Congress to ensure adequate funding
so critical to our nation's progress.
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Sincerely,
Raj Reddy
Co-Chair |
Irving Wladawsky-Berger
Co-Chair |
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