[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 20 (Tuesday, March 1, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: March 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
NOMINATION OF GRAHAM MITCHELL TO BE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF COMMERCE FOR 
                           TECHNOLOGY POLICY

  Mr. HOLLINGS. Mr. President, I am pleased that the full Senate is now 
considering the nomination of Dr. Graham R. Mitchell to be Assistant 
Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy.
  Dr. Mitchell is eminently qualified for this post. An electrical 
engineer by training, he has worked extensively in industry. At General 
Electric in the 1970's, he developed and sold new electrical equipment. 
At GTE from 1980 until accepting this offer of Government service, he 
headed the planning department of GTE Laboratories and later became 
director of planning and forecasting at those laboratories. He has 
solid experience not only with technology itself but also with the 
process by which companies turn new technology into successful 
products. Equally important, he is the choice of both Commerce 
Secretary Ron Brown and Under Secretary for Technology Mary Good. They 
think highly of him, and his testimony during his February 10 
confirmation hearing was impressive.
  Dr. Mitchell comes to his post at a critical time in American 
technology policy. With recent congressional initiatives and the 
election of a new President, the U.S. Government is finally moving at 
least part of its $70 billion annual research and development [R&D] 
budget away from old cold war priorities toward the economic needs of 
the Nation. Historically, the Government has invested heavily to help a 
few key sectors such as agriculture, aerospace, medicine, energy, and 
defense. But almost nothing has been invested to help general civilian 
industry and manufacturing to stay at the cutting edge of world 
technology. As our companies and workers face unprecedented foreign 
competition, it is vital to make our Federal research investment more 
useful to our companies. It is equally vital to understand what other 
policies can help to boost American competitiveness and jobs. Reporting 
to Dr. Good, Dr. Mitchell will be in charge of the Commerce 
Department's Office of Technology Policy, the Government's think tank 
on civilian technology issues. It is a vital post in this new era, and 
we need an expert with Dr. Mitchell's understanding of industry and 
breadth of experience.
  Mr. President, I am pleased with the President's nomination for this 
important post, and I urge our colleagues to confirm Dr. Mitchell.

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