[Budget of the United States Government]
[V. Preparing For the 21st Century]
[6. Promoting Research]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
6. PROMOTING RESEARCH
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I ask you to simply imagine that new century full of its promise, molded
by science, shaped by technology, powered by knowledge. These potent
transforming forces can give us lives fuller and richer than we have ever
known . . . If we are to make the most of this century, we--all of us, each
and every one of us, regardless of our background--must work to master
these forces with vision and wisdom and determination. The past half-century
has seen mankind split the atom, splice genes, create the microchip, explore
the heavens. We enter the next century propelled by new and stunning developments.
President Clinton
May 1997
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Scientific and technological advances have left few facets of life
untouched. Great leaps in the speed and economy of transportation,
enormous increases in farm productivity, global flows of information and
services, advances in health treatment and prevention and in
environmental protection--all these changes have created a world at the
dawn of the 21st Century that is vastly different from the world our
grandparents knew. As numerous studies show, technological innovation
and scientific discovery have been responsible for at least half of the
Nation's productivity growth in the last 50 years, generated millions of
high-skill, high-wage jobs, and substantially improved the quality of
life in America.
The Federal Government has played an important role in spurring and
sustaining this scientific and technological advance. Among other feats,
Government-sponsored research and development (R&D) has put Americans on
the moon, explored the oceans, harnessed the atom, devised more
effective treatments for cancers, found the remains of lost
civilizations, tracked weather patterns and earthquake faults, and
discovered the chemistry of life. No other country in history can match
America's record of achievement in science and technology.
Because these investments have paid such rich dividends, and because
the next century will bring new challenges, opportunities, and problems
that science and technology can help address, continued U.S. leadership
in science and technology is a cornerstone of the President's and the
Vice President's vision for America. Thus, the budget strengthens these
vital investments, contributing substantially to many of the
Administration's broader goals by creating new knowledge, training more
workers, catalyzing new jobs and industries, addressing health
challenges, enhancing our understanding of and ability to address
environmental problems, improving the education of our children, and
maintaining a strong national defense. The centerpiece of the
Administration's continuing commitment is the proposed Research Fund for
America, from which many of the research dollars will now flow.
But Federal funds are not limitless. Thus, agencies are working to
make smarter, better science and technology investments, guided by two
fundamental principles.
First, agencies are focusing on potentially high-payoff
research that could have substantial public benefit, but is
too high-risk or long-term for the private sector. The Federal
Government, in partnership with States, universities, and
industry, supports a balanced mix of basic and applied
research and technology development, given that scientific
discovery and technological innovation are intricately
interwoven. The Federal Government also supports international
partnerships that benefit our scientists, leverage our
investments, and address complex, global problems.
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Second, agencies are focusing more on the performance and
results of science and technology investments, rather than
just dollars spent. They are also pursuing improvements in
efficiency, where possible, through innovations in government
laboratories, university grants, and private contracts.
Research Fund for America
The budget proposes a Research Fund for America--reflecting the
President's commitment to ensuring long-term stability and growth for
non-defense research programs--that will support a wide range of Federal
science and technology activities. The budget proposes $31 billion for
the Fund, representing an eight-percent increase for these programs over
the 1998 level and a 32-percent increase by 2003 (see Chart 6-1 and
Table 6-1).
National Institutes of Health (NIH): The Fund supports an
unprecedented commitment to biomedical research, laying the foundation
for new innovations to improve health and prevent disease. It provides
an increase of $1.15 billion for the National Institutes of Health
(NIH), the largest ever, to a proposed $14.8 billion funding level that
will support greater research on diabetes, brain disorders, cancer, drug
demand reduction, genetic medicine, disease prevention strategies, and
the development of an AIDS vaccine.
NIH's highest priority continues to be investigator-initiated, peer-
reviewed research project grants. To ensure that the United States
continues to invest heavily in biomedical research, the budget proposes,
for the first time, sustained increases for the NIH over five years. By
the year 2003, funding for biomedical research would increase to over
$20 billion, or by nearly 50 percent.
Climate Change Technology Initiative (CCTI): The Fund includes a
five-year research and technology initiative to reduce the Nation's
emissions of greenhouse gases. Led by the Energy Department (DOE) and
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the effort also includes
activities of the National
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Table 6-1. RESEARCH FUND FOR AMERICA
(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Percent Percent
1998 1999 2003 Change: Change:
Estimate Proposed Proposed 1998 to 1998 to
1999 2003
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Health and Human Services:
National Institutes of Health............................... 13,648 14,798 20,188
Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.................. ........ 46 56
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.................. ........ 25 30
-------------------------------
Agency total.............................................. 13,648 14,869 20,274 +8% +48%
National Science Foundation (NSF) \1\......................... 3,366 3,710 4,183 +10% +24%
Department of Energy:
Science Program............................................. 2,236 2,296 2,420
Fusion Research............................................. 232 228 200
National Spallation Neutron Source.......................... ........ 157 195
-------------------------------
Agency total.............................................. 2,468 2,681 2,815 +9% +14%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration:
Space Science............................................... 2,034 2,058 2,568
Earth Science............................................... 1,417 1,372 1,407
Advanced Space Transportation Technology.................... 417 389 490
Aeronautics Research and Technology......................... 920 786 775
-------------------------------
Agency total.............................................. 4,788 4,605 5,240 -4% +9%
Department of Agriculture:
CSREES Research and Education............................... 430 423 423
Economic Research Service................................... 53 \3\ 56 56
Agricultural Research Service (ARS)......................... 745 770 770
Forest Service Research..................................... 188 195 195
-------------------------------
Agency total.............................................. 1,416 1,444 1,444 +2% +2%
Department of Commerce:
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research............................ 278 251 251
National Institute of Standards and Technology \2\.......... 563 600 689
-------------------------------
Agency total.............................................. 841 851 940 +1% +12%
Department of Interior: U.S. Geological Survey................ 759 807 796 +6% +5%
Environmental Protection Agency: Office of Research and
Development.................................................. 538 487 578 -9% +7%
Department of Veterans Affairs: Medical Research.............. 272 300 300 +10% +10%
Department of Education: Education Research................... ........ 50 50 NA NA
Climate Change Technology Initiative:
Energy...................................................... 729 1,060 1,144
Environmental Protection Agency............................. 90 205 241
Housing and Urban Development............................... ........ 10 ........
Agriculture (ARS and Forest Service)........................ ........ 10 21
Commerce.................................................... ........ 7 8
-------------------------------
Multi-agency total........................................ 819 1,292 1,414 +58% +73%
-------------------------------------------------
Total......................................................... 28,915 31,096 38,034 +8% +32%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ NSF data excludes $63 million per year in Function 054, Defense-related activities.
\2\ Does not include Manufacturing Extension Partnership.
\3\ Excludes transfer in 1999 of research function from Agriculture Department feeding programs.
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Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Departments of
Agriculture (USDA) and Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The budget
proposes a combined $2.7 billion increase over five years for these
agencies for R&D on energy efficiency, renewable energy, and carbon-
reduction technologies. The budget also proposes $3.6 billion in tax
incentives over five years to stimulate the adoption of more efficient
technologies in buildings, industrial processes, vehicles, and power
generation.
An example of efforts to develop break-through technologies to cut
greenhouse gases and improve energy efficiency is the Partnership for a
New Generation of Vehicles--a Government-industry effort to develop an
attractive, affordable car that meets all applicable safety and
environmental standards and is up to three times more fuel efficient
than today's cars, reaching roughly 80 miles per gallon. The budget
proposes a similar Government-industry effort to develop more efficient
heavy truck engines. Other key parts of the CCTI are Government-industry
partnerships on energy-efficient technologies for commercial buildings
and homes; stronger labeling and efficiency requirements for appliances
and office equipment; the deployment of new technologies in the
industrial sector to capture waste heat and convert it into electricity;
and R&D spending and incentives for renewable energy sources like
biomass, wind, photovoltaics, and fuel cells (See Tables 6-2 and 6-3)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA): The Fund
supports several ongoing activities, including: $2.1 billion for Space
Science, a program that has outperformed all expectations in 1997 with
the highly successful Mars Pathfinder mission; $1.4 billion for Earth
Science (formerly Mission to Planet Earth), which explores the influence
of natural processes and human activities on the environment, and which
will launch the first of NASA's new generation of Earth Observing System
Satellites, known as AM-1, in 1998; $389 million for Advanced Space
Transportation Technology, including funds for the X-33 and X-34
reusable launch vehicle technology demonstrations; $786 million for
NASA's Aeronautics Research and Technology programs, including Aviation
Safety R&D; and $760 million in future-year funds to support launch
vehicles that would lower NASA's launch costs.
National Science Foundation (NSF): The Fund provides $3.7 billion, 10
percent more than in 1998, for NSF, whose broad mission is to promote
science and engineering research and education across all fields and
disciplines. NSF supports nearly half of the non-medical basic research
conducted at academic institutions, and provides 30 percent of Federal
sup-
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Table 6-2. CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (AGENCIES)
(In millions of dollars)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dollar Dollar
1997 1998 1999 Change: Change:
Selected Agencies Actual Estimate Proposed 1998 to 1999 to
1999 2003
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Budget Authority:
Energy...................................................... 657 729 1,060 +331 +1,899
Environmental Protection Agency............................. 86 90 205 +115 +677
Housing and Urban Development............................... ........ ........ 10 +10 +10
Agriculture................................................. ........ ........ 10 +10 +86
Commerce.................................................... ........ ........ 7 +7 +38
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal, budget authority................................ 743 819 1,292 +473 +2,710
Tax Incentives................................................ ........ ........ 421 +421 +3,635
=================================================
Total Initiative.......................................... 743 819 1,713 +894 +6,345
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Table 6-3. CLIMATE CHANGE TECHNOLOGY INITIATIVE (SECTORS)
(In millions of dollars)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dollar
1998 1999 Change:
Key Sectors Estimate Proposed 1998 to
1999
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Discretionary Budget Authority:
Buildings............................ 146 264 +118
Industry............................. 156 216 +60
Transportation....................... 246 356 +110
Electricity.......................... 220 332 +112
Carbon Sequestration and Cross-
Cutting Research.................... ......... 42 +42
Policy Analysis, Market Incentives... 6 26 +20
Program Direction.................... 45 57 +12
--------------------------------
Total.............................. 819 1,292 +473
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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port for mathematics and science education. Because most NSF awards go
to colleges and universities, they not only generate knowledge, they
also train the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Department of Energy: The Fund provides the resources for DOE's
science research and nuclear fusion programs, for constructing the
National Spallation Neutron Source, for the international partnership on
the Large Hadron Collider, and for DOE research under the Climate Change
Technology Initiative (discussed earlier in this chapter).
Department of Agriculture: The Fund provides $777 million for the
Agricultural Research Service, $33 million more than in 1998, and $56
million for the Economic Research Service, which conduct a broad range
of food, farm, and environmental research programs. The budget also
provides $423 million for Cooperative State Research, Education, and
Extension Service (CSREES) programs, including $130 million for the
National Research Initiative, a 34 percent increase over the 1998 level.
CSREES provides grants for agricultural, food, and environmental
research, and for higher education. National Research Initiative
competitive research grants improve the quality and increase the
quantity of USDA's farm, food, and environmental research. The budget
proposes a Food Genome Initiative to expand efforts to understand the
genomes of important plants, animals, and microbes. In addition, it
increases funding for the Forest Service's Forest and Rangeland Research
program to conduct research on sensitive and complex natural resource
management issues, forest health restoration, wildland fire fuels
reduction, wildlife habitat restoration, alternative uses of forest and
rangeland resources, and inventory and monitoring methods.
Department of Commerce's NIST: The Fund provides $260 million for
NIST's Advanced Technology Program (ATP), growing to $399 million by
2003, to promote unique, rigorously competitive, cost-shared R&D
partnerships between Government and private industry to more quickly
develop high-risk technologies that promise significant commercial
payoffs and widespread economic benefits. The Fund also provides $340
million for NIST's Standards and Technology Laboratories, including $300
million for ongoing programs and new initiatives in disaster mitigation,
semiconductors, and trade-related standards and $40 million to build an
Advanced Measurement Laboratory on the NIST campus in Gaithersburg, Md.
Department of Commerce's National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration/Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR): The
Fund provides $251 million for OAR to conduct research to provide the
scientific basis for national policy decisions in areas such as climate
change, air quality, and stratospheric ozone depletion, as well as
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research to promote economic growth through efforts in marine
biotechnology and environmental technologies.
Department of the Interior's U.S. Geological Survey (USGS): The Fund
provides $807 million for science that directly supports natural
resource and environmental decision making. Increases for USGS support
research on pollutant transport in ground water; enhanced understanding
of species habitat; and improved monitoring of water quality, species
habitat, and natural hazards. USGS plans to use its mapping, remote
sensing, and natural resources monitoring capabilities to develop new
ways to improve the availability and dissemination of domestic natural
disaster hazards information, as well as to support NASA's Earth
Observing System satellites.
EPA: The Fund provides $487 million for EPA's Office of Research and
Development (ORD), which performs most of EPA's research and provides a
sound scientific and technical foundation for environmental policy and
regulatory decision-making. ORD also provides technical support to EPA's
mission, integrates the work of its own scientific partners, and
provides leadership in addressing emerging environmental issues.
Department of Veterans Affairs' Medical Research: The Fund provides
$300 million--about a third of the Department's overall research program
of nearly $1 billion--for clinical, epidemiological, and behavioral
studies across a broad spectrum of medical research disciplines.
Department of Education: The Fund includes $50 million a year for
five years for the Education Research Initiative, a partnership between
the Education Department and the National Science Foundation--consistent
with recommendations by the President's Committee of Advisors on Science
and Technology, the National Academy of Education, and the National
Research Council's Committee on the Federal Role in Education Research.
The initiative will support large-scale research focused on the best
approaches to raising student achievement through, for example, learning
technologies and innovative approaches to reading and mathematics
instruction that take advantage of the latest research findings on brain
function and learning.
Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) Agency for Health Care
Policy and Research (AHCPR): The Fund provides $46 million for AHCPR to
support research on the outcomes and effectiveness of clinical
treatments, health care quality, and the organization, financing, and
delivery of health care. AHCPR works primarily through peer-reviewed
grants to academic health centers, universities, and non-profit research
organizations.
HHS' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): The Fund
includes a $25 million increase for CDC's population-based research
activities to provide new peer-reviewed grants that will enable academic
centers to perform population-based research to help prevent diabetes,
heart disease, workplace injuries, and cancers.
Science and Technology Highlights
Federal investments in science and technology contribute to the
Administration's economic, educational, health, environmental, and
national security goals. Along with programs of the Research Fund for
America, the budget proposes increases for a host of other important
activities. (For total Federal R&D funding, see Table 6-4; for science
and technology highlights, see Table 6-5.)
Increasing Total Support for Science and Technology: The budget marks
the sixth straight year that the President has proposed increases in
R&D--at $78.2 billion, $2 billion or three percent more than in 1998.
The budget also provides an increasing share for civilian R&D
investments, which comprise 48 percent of the total.
Boosting Funding for Basic and Applied Research: The budget proposes
$17 billion for basic research and $16.4 billion for applied research--
increases of $1.2 billion and $848 million, respectively, over 1998.
These investments, which include increases of nine percent for NIH, 11
percent for NSF, and 11 percent for DOE, reflect the Administration's
commitment to obtaining knowledge that will provide future economic and
social benefits and improve our ability to meet economic needs without
adversely affecting health and the environment.
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Table 6-4. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT INVESTMENTS
(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dollar Percent
1997 1998 1999 Change: Change:
Actual Estimate Proposed 1998 to 1998 to
1999 1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By Agency:
Defense..................................................... 37,238 37,430 37,010 -420 -1%
Health and Human Services................................... 12,941 13,836 15,136 +1,300 +9%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration............... 9,348 9,752 9,501 -251 -3%
Energy...................................................... 6,234 6,477 7,174 +697 +11%
National Science Foundation................................. 2,463 2,607 2,893 +286 +11%
Agriculture................................................. 1,562 1,559 1,552 -7 +*%
Commerce.................................................... 978 1,079 1,080 +1 +*%
Transportation.............................................. 612 676 775 +99 +15%
Interior.................................................... 592 609 631 +22 +4%
Environmental Protection Agency............................. 564 637 631 -6 -1%
Veterans Affairs........................................... 588 608 670 +62 +10%
Other....................................................... 883 928 1,106 +178 +19%
-------------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 74,003 76,198 78,159 +1,961 +3%
By R&D Type:
Basic Research.............................................. 15,017 15,773 16,966 +1,193 +8%
Applied Research............................................ 14,393 15,553 16,401 +848 +5%
Development................................................. 42,352 42,474 42,161 -313 -1%
Equipment................................................... 688 721 837 +116 +16%
Facilities.................................................. 1,553 1,677 1,794 +117 +7%
-------------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 74,003 76,198 78,159 +1,961 +3%
By Civilian Theme:
Basic Research.............................................. 13,927 14,673 15,811 +1,138 +8%
Applied Research............................................ 10,348 11,244 11,772 +528 +5%
Development................................................. 7,896 8,010 8,229 +219 +3%
Equipment................................................... 542 577 693 +116 +20%
Facilities.................................................. 1,243 1,252 1,318 +66 +5%
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................................................... 33,956 35,756 37,823 +2,067 +6%
By Defense Theme:
Basic Research.............................................. 1,090 1,100 1,155 +55 +5%
Applied Research............................................ 4,045 4,309 4,504 +195 +5%
Development................................................. 34,456 34,464 34,057 -407 -1%
Equipment................................................... 146 144 144 ........ ........
Facilities.................................................. 310 425 476 +51 +12%
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................................................... 40,047 40,442 40,336 -106 -*%
By R&D Share:
Defense..................................................... 40,047 40,442 40,336 -106 -*%
Civilian.................................................... 33,956 35,756 37,823 +2,067 +6%
-------------------------------------------------
Total....................................................... 74,003 76,198 78,159 +1,961 +3%
Civilian (percent).......................................... 46% 47% 48% NA NA
R&D Support to Universities................................... 12,682 13,633 14,471 +838 +6%
Merit (Peer) Reviewed R&D Programs............................ 21,438 22,689 24,324 +1,635 +7%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NA = Not applicable.
* Less than 0.5 percent.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Strengthening University-Based Re- search: University-based
research--a mixture of basic and applied science, development, equipment
procurement, and facilities investment--is key to America's future.
While fostering innovation and expanding the scientific frontier,
university-based research also trains the next generation of scientists
and engineers. The budget proposes $14.5 billion, an increase of $838
million over 1998.
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Table 6-5. SELECTED PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dollar Percent
1997 1998 1999 Change: Change:
Actual Estimate Proposed 1998 to 1998 to
1999 1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
National Aeronautics and Space Administration: International
Space Station................................................ 2,149 2,301 2,270 -31 -1%
Department of Commerce:
Manufacturing Extension Partnership......................... 95 114 107 -7 -6%
National Telecom. and Info. Admin. NII Grants............... 21 20 22 +2 +10%
Department of Transportation:
Intelligent Transportation System Initiative................ 235 326 250 -76 -23%
Flight 2000 Demonstraton Program............................ ........ ........ 90 +90 NA
Department of Defense:
Dual Use Applications Program/Commercial Operations and
Support Savings Initiative................................. 123 120 158 +38 +31%
Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations.................. 57 77 116 +39 +50%
National Science and Technology Council Initiatives:
U.S. Global Change Research Program:
Health and Human Services................................. 4 4 5 +1 +25%
National Aeronautics and Space Administration............. 1,369 1,417 1,372 -45 -3%
Energy.................................................... 109 108 113 +5 +5%
National Science Foundation............................... 166 167 187 +20 +12%
Agriculture............................................... 57 58 59 +1 +2%
Commerce.................................................. 62 62 71 +9 +15%
Interior.................................................. 29 29 29 ........ ........
Environmental Protection Agency........................... 14 15 21 +6 +40%
Smithsonian............................................... 7 7 7 ........ ........
Tennessee Valley Authority................................ 1 ........ ........ ........ ........
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal................................................ 1,818 1,867 1,864 -3 -*%
Large Scale Networking and High-end Computing and
Computation: \1\
Defense................................................... ........ ........ 187 NA NA
Health and Human Services................................. ........ ........ 107 NA NA
National Aeronautics and Space Administration............. ........ ........ 91 NA NA
Energy.................................................... ........ ........ 128 NA NA
National Science Foundation............................... ........ ........ 310 NA NA
Commerce.................................................. ........ ........ 22 NA NA
Environmental Protection Agency........................... ........ ........ 5 NA NA
-------------------------------------------------
Subtotal.................................................. ........ ........ 850 NA NA
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles.................. 234 227 277 +50 +22%
Emerging Infectious Diseases.................................. 314 339 370 +31 +9%
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NA = Not applicable.
* Less than 0.5 percent.
\1\ Meaningful comparisons between 1999 and earlier years are not possible because of significant program
restructuring.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Protecting Human Health: The budget reflects the Administration's
continued focus on R&D to protect human health. It funds merit-based,
peer-reviewed research programs at the NIH that have made the United
States the world's leader in medical research, and it also supports the
development of an AIDS vaccine, the fight against emerging infectious
diseases, research on cancer, efforts to reduce the demand for drugs,
and a food safety initiative.
Investing in Innovation to Create New Jobs and Industries: Many of
the new jobs created under this Administration have been high-tech,
high-wage jobs in industries like biotechnology and computing. The
budget maintains a strong investment in technology to foster these high-
priority, civilian science
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and technology industries and jobs. Along with funding the ATP program
as part of the Research Fund for America, the budget continues funding
for Manufacturing Extension Partnerships to help small businesses become
more competitive by adopting modern technologies and production
techniques, and for high performance computing research.
Investing in Environmental Research: Environmental research is
critical for developing the scientific understanding and technological
tools to allow the Nation to enhance environmental quality for current
and future generations. The budget supports vital research on safe and
clean food, air, and water, and on ecosystem management, biological
diversity, and ozone depletion. The budget increases support for energy
efficiency and renewable energy programs, and for programs to help us
understand, prepare for, and mitigate the effects of changing climate
conditions and natural disasters. These investments provide a scientific
basis for developing cost-effective environmental policies, create the
knowledge base for citizens to make wise environmental decisions, and
enable new and better approaches to environmental protection.
Investing in a 21st-Century Education: Information technology has
revolutionized America's businesses, but has not yet had as profound an
effect in America's classrooms. Through the President's Education
Technology Initiative, the Federal Government is helping to ensure that
America's classrooms are equipped with modern computers and connected to
the Internet, that educational software becomes an integral part of the
curriculum, and that teachers will be ready to use and teach with
technology. Federal science and technology investments contribute to
these goals; they include the Education Research Initiative--a joint
Education Department and NSF partnership (described earlier in this
chapter)--and NSF's activities in Knowledge and Distributed
Intelligence. (For more discussion of education technology, see Chapter
1, ``Investing in Education and Training.'')
Investing in Research to Keep Our Nation Secure: The budget furthers
the Administration's investments in defense research to ensure that our
military maintains its technological superiority. The budget also
supports programs to keep nuclear weapons out of the hands of
terrorists, use science-based techniques to ensure the safety and
reliability of our nuclear weapons stockpiles, support research in
critical infrastructure protection, and promote global stability by
bolstering strong international science and technology partnerships. The
budget also supports the Dual Use Applications Program (DUAP), which
puts commercial industry's technical know-how and economies of scale at
the service of national defense.
Other Program Highlights
The Administration continues to support a wide variety of science and
technology programs at individual agencies.
NASA International Space Station: With the first launch to assemble
this unique orbital laboratory only a few months away, the budget
includes $2.3 billion to keep subsequent assembly missions on schedule.
It also includes funds in later years to minimize the risk and cost of
the project. NASA is developing the Space Station with the European
Space Agency, Japan, Canada, and Russia.
Department of Commerce:
Manufacturing Extension Partnership: The budget proposes $107 million
for this Nation-wide network of 75 centers and 300 field offices that
offer technical assistance and information about the newest business
practices to help the Nation's 382,000 smaller manufacturers compete
more effectively, leading to stronger economic growth and job creation.
National Telecommunications and Information Administration's National
Information Infrastructure Grants Program: The budget proposes $22
million for grants to fund innovative projects that demonstrate how
information technology can improve the delivery of educational, health,
and other social services. These grants are highly competitive and have
stimulated several hundred million dollars in non-Federal matching
funds.
Department of Transportation:
Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Initiative: The budget
proposes $250 million for the ITS initiative--a package of tech
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nologies to enhance the safety and efficiency of our surface
transportation infrastructure. The budget includes $100 million for the
Deployment Incentives program, which will begin the Nation-wide
deployment of ``intelligent infrastructure,'' such as interactive
traffic signals and traveler information systems.
Flight 2000 Demonstration Program: Responding to recommendations of
the White House Commission on Aviation Safety and Security, the budget
proposes $90 million for the Flight 2000 Demonstration Program, which
will test and validate equipment and operating procedures over Alaska
and Hawaii. The program will lead to a revolution in air traffic control
known as ``free-flight,'' which promises significant savings and will
allow travelers to reach their destinations more safely, quickly, and
efficiently.
Department of Defense (DOD):
DUAP and Commercial Operations and Support Savings Initiative
(COSSI): The budget proposes $158 million to develop dual-use
technologies and adapt cost-saving commercial technology for military
uses, enabling DOD to use commercial technologies, products, and
services more widely. The military services would fund most of DUAP and
COSSI directly, reflecting Administration efforts to increase the
services' direct involvement in all phases of the programs.
Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations (ACTDs): The budget
proposes $116 million for demonstrations to quickly harness technology
and innovation for military use, at less cost. ACTDs bring technology
experts and military operators together early in system development to
eliminate communication barriers, improve the management of development
programs, and address key warfighter challenges. ACTDs focus on three
key objectives: to evaluate the military utility of new technology
applications before committing to buy them; to develop corresponding
battlefield operation concepts and doctrine in order to use new
capabilities as wisely as possible; and to provide new capabilities to
combat forces. Forty ACTDs are now under way, while six have been
completed.
National Science and Technology Council Interagency Initiatives
Science and technology is a primary focus of many Federal agencies.
The National Science and Technology Council provides the management
oversight that will ensure efficient and effective inter-agency
coordination for key science and technology initiatives that involve
multiple agencies, such as:
U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP): The budget proposes
$1.9 billion to increase understanding of climate change and
variability, atmospheric chemistry, and ecosystems. USGCRP results help
develop climate change policies. The 1997 launch of the Tropical
Rainfall Measurement Mission satellite will provide previously
unavailable, detailed, and accurate rainfall measurements, filling a
significant gap in our understanding of the Earth system. In 1998 and
1999, USGCRP will launch more satellites, and will focus on
investigating regional climate changes.
Large Scale Networking and High-end Computing and Computation: The
budget provides $850 million for this R&D effort, originally called High
Performance Computing and Communications, which the Administration has
restructured to focus on clearer goals, milestones, and performance
measures. As part of this effort, the budget provides $110 million for
the Next Generation Internet Initiative, which will create a research
network that is 100 to 1,000 times faster than today's Internet, and
invests in R&D for smarter, faster networks that support new
applications, such as telemedicine, distance learning, and real-time
collaboration.
Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles: The budget proposes
$277 million, a 22-percent increase over 1998, for this cost-shared,
industry partnership, which centers on three research goals: to develop
advanced manufacturing techniques; to use new technologies for near-term
emissions improvements; and to develop production prototype vehicles
three times more fuel-efficient than today's cars, with no sacrifice in
comfort, performance, or price. Federal funding focuses mainly on the
third goal. The program will lead to ``concept cars'' in the year 2000
and production prototypes in 2004.
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Emerging Infectious Diseases: The budget proposes $370 million, nine
percent over the 1998 level, for research on new tools to detect and
control emerging infectious diseases and on the biology and pathology of
infectious agents.