President's Information Technology Advisory Committee
For Immediate Release
August 10, 1998
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Contact: 202/456-6108 |
The White House
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/.
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