[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 37 (Thursday, March 20, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2729-S2730]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        THE NATIONAL ENTERPRISE

 Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, the extraordinary lifestyle, 
security and standard of living Americans have enjoyed since the end of 
the Second World War is one of our most notable achievements in recent 
history. We are wealthier, healthier, and safer than any people before 
us. We have built an economy whose resilience, ingenuity, and potential 
are truly the envy of the world. We have become the standard by which 
all other nations are measured. The century in which we have survived 
economic collapse and two world wars only to become stronger bears our 
name, the ``American Century.''
  This unparalleled achievement is not a product of chance or fate, 
luck or serendipity, or even good timing. It is the product of an 
extraordinary effort on the part of the American people and the 
institutions we have built and strengthened. It is the product of the 
American spirit and work ethic which, in our first 100 years, propelled 
us from the periphery of a colonial empire to an independent nation a 
continent wide. It has allowed us, in our second century, to defeat 
challenges under which other nations withered.
  Since the end of the Second World War, we have witnessed and enjoyed 
progress and growth unparalleled in our own history. That unparalleled 
progress is the product of a unique effort that helped us win the cold 
war and, among other notable achievements, put Americans on the moon. 
The effort is best described as a National Enterprise: a strong 
foundation built upon a shared responsibility and a common vision for 
our country's success.
  The common vision that helped define our National Enterprise was 
shared by three basic pillars of our society: our Government, our 
academic institutions, and our private industries. The cementing agent 
is a sense of singular mission, embodied largely, but not exclusively, 
in the cold war effort, our love of freedom, and our free markets. Its 
medium and fuel are an ingenious, compassionate, optimistic, hard 
working, and resolute people.
  The National Enterprise has now reached a crossroads, and we are 
facing one of the greatest but understated challenges of our history. 
With the advent of two historical trends, we face a challenge more 
daunting than any enemy: a potential loss of our own resolve.
  First, growing Federal entitlements have created a fiscal crisis in 
the Federal Government, with 28 consecutive years of deficit spending, 
a $5.3 trillion debt, and shrinking discretionary spending. The money 
we allocate to research and development faces increasing competition 
from other worthwhile endeavors such as environment, education, 
national parks, infrastructure, and defense. All are competing for a 
smaller and smaller slice of the Federal spending pie.
  Second, the end of the cold war era has left America with what some 
might call a diluted sense of mission or common interest. The National 
Enterprise cannot be defined in a single dimension, but for better or 
for worse, the cold war's unifying power and the birth of America as a 
superpower was the single greatest motive driving the Enterprise and 
the yardstick of its success.
  With the launch of Sputnik in 1957, we witnessed a technologically- 
advanced, symbolic challenge from our would-be enemy. It was the crack 
of the starter pistol in a race that would bear both frightening 
military capabilities and extraordinary peaceful dividends. For the 
first time, we were sobered in our celebration of post-war-era wealth 
and security and were challenged to push ourselves to the limit. The 
Sputnik era has ended, and with it has ended the series of punctuated 
events that presented a clear road map for our progress and cold war 
victory. What will be the new road map for our National Enterprise?
  I was heartened to hear the President recognize the importance of the 
National Enterprise during his State of the Union Address. Without his 
leadership, any efforts in Congress, industry or education are unlikely 
to be successful. However, the President addressed only broad themes 
and small remedies for a few specific problems. In the President's 
budget, funding for Federal research and development remains 
essentially unchanged in a gradual downward trend, with the prognosis 
for coming years being a point of great concern. The President's 
emphasis on education is also a positive initiative, but his proposals 
seem to disproportionately favor higher education over all other 
levels. The President has presented a budget which seems to recognize 
some of the problems, but does not clearly articulate the full spectrum 
of challenges before us.
  In addition to addressing the funding challenges that our National 
Enterprise faces, we must also embolden the Federal Government with a 
new understanding of mission and role within the Enterprise. This 
understanding is the critical difference between developing a strategy 
like the one that won the Cold War, and one that is simply a triage of 
federal spending programs. We must forge a sense of mission and seek a 
new understanding, for we may never have another Sputnik to awaken our 
schools, government and industries to the essence of the National 
Enterprise.

  The challenges of the coming century will be as great or greater than 
those we have met thus far, but we do have the benefit of learning from 
our past successes. We can base our inquiry and guide our decisions on 
a set of simple truths we have learned from that experience. These 
simple truths make the link between spending and results, and highlight 
the need to make those links as clear, as direct, and as strong as 
possible.
  Truth number one: research and development, science, and education 
bring advancements and innovation.
  Truth number two: innovation has been the basis of our competitive 
edge--peaceful and defensive--and of our extraordinary lifestyle; it is 
the cornucopia of modern America and the envy of the world.
  Truth number three: federal funding of research, and creating an 
environment that encourages private research and innovation, is the 
bedrock upon which the National Enterprise has been founded.
  These fruits of our labor are not obscure laboratory innovations, but 
integral parts of our lives and economy. The Internet, computer chips, 
satellites, super-sonic aircraft, higher education and research 
universities, and strong civilian and defense-related basic research 
are a few compelling examples.
  Therefore, the question is not whether federal research and 
development spending is the taproot of our innovation and economic 
growth--it clearly is. The questions we face are, What is the right 
formula for the federal government in this National Enterprise? What 
are the actual mechanisms by which that combination of spending and 
American ingenuity translate into

[[Page S2730]]

advancements? And how do we make them as strong and as sharp as 
possible?
  We have some initial ideas here in Congress, but I do not believe 
this body as a whole is prepared to answer those questions--the most 
important of our time. But it is my sincere hope that we have begun 
this necessary dialogue.
  In our pursuit of these answers, we have a simple, yet profound, 
justification: research and development spending and strong science and 
technology are the essential base elements of our competitive edge, our 
standard of living, and our defense. To hone and preserve that edge, 
Congress must work closely with the traditional partners in this 
effort: universities, government agencies and their labs, and private 
industry. These partnerships have been a key to America s strength and 
their whole is seemingly greater than the sum of its respective parts.
  Along with several representatives of the national research, 
development and education effort in government, universities, and 
industry, several Senators of both parties have begun to explore the 
issues and open a dialogue addressing the questions of great national 
importance, as illustrated by the formation of the Senate's bipartisan 
Science and Technology Caucus. The full Senate understands the 
challenges of maintaining a vibrant National Enterprise, but the 
gravity of the challenge has not been fully articulated, even as we 
face greater competition from other countries and ever greater pressure 
on federal and private funding of all research and development.
  This venture will require understanding, sympathy, discipline and 
dedication. Already, the initial dialogue has realized some immediate 
success: it exposed common ground and initiated the critical dialogue. 
We have begun to identify issues and areas on which Congress can begin 
to pursue an agenda and strategy:
  Partnerships among industry, government, and universities are the 
strong basis of our preeminence in science and technology and in 
research and development, and are the essential whet stone of our 
competitive edge. We must find the best ways to shorten the time it 
takes to bring basic research to market, clinic, the armed forces, or 
industry.
  Education is the seed-corn of the advancements we enjoy. We must 
continue to cultivate human capital, for that seed-corn cannot be 
planted too early. To fail to provide our institutions of higher 
learning with qualified students will ultimately be the most damaging 
blow to the National Enterprise. It is a problem that cannot be 
corrected in a single budget or simply through new laws and higher 
federal spending levels. Today, nearly one-third of incoming American 
college students are compelled to enter remedial courses because they 
are ill-prepared for much of the basic curriculum. The erosion of 
standards and performance in our elementary and secondary school 
systems is an erosion of the basis of the National Enterprise itself 
and a threat to its very existence.
  Consistent and stable commitments to funding are essential for 
planning. Planning, in turn, is an essential ingredient in long term 
strategies and the ability for individuals, companies and institutions 
to commit to the long term and basic research.
  A commitment to basic research is the foundation upon which all other 
discoveries and technical advancements are dependent. Here, the federal 
role is particularly important. Universities and labs cannot 
realistically undertake such high-risk and long-term research on their 
own. And industries cannot necessarily commit to a venture that may not 
enjoy a market return during the lifetime of the company.
  Do not think I'm speaking of simply a more-informed and sophisticated 
triage. The overall budget projections on research and development 
spending are a point of great concern--some say a threat to our 
national security, our quality of life and our sharp competitive edge.
  In this delicate operation of redefining our National Enterprise, we 
must be extremely careful, for clean incisions are not easy, and the 
distinctions between excesses and successes are not always clear. We 
must note that in trying to solve our budget crisis, some of the issue 
have been muddled, where the fine distinctions between basic and 
applied research, and between research and development, are lost or 
misjudged. However, should we gain a new sense of mission and consensus 
of goals through dialogue, such distinctions become less and less 
difficult with time, and we can better focus the energies and money of 
the United States.
  We also face the danger that any such dialogue could be characterized 
politically and split by misconceptions of conservative versus liberal, 
of big government versus streamlined government, or even command 
economy versus the free market. We should be clear from the outset that 
this discussion is none of these, and it is certainly not a Republican 
versus Democrat issue, as the recent bipartisan efforts illustrate.
  We must be mindful that the dialogue must also focus on education and 
the creation of human capital to fuel and guide our National 
Enterprise. A National Enterprise with all financial means at its 
disposal is impotent and adrift without knowhow and wisdom. Our 
economy's resilience, ingenuity, and potential are sure to fade without 
an unwavering commitment to education.
  On these issues we must be prepared to deliberate, to make difficult 
decisions, and to lead. Congress must use its experience, knowledge and 
authority to move dialogue, keep it from folly, and define priorities 
and goals in the interests of the American people--a very tall order.
  We must begin to study these issues and join the effort, beginning 
with the appreciation that this dialogue is the extraordinary luxury of 
an accomplished, enterprising and open-minded people. As Chairman of 
the Science, Technology and Space Subcommittee, as a founding member of 
the Science and Technology Caucus, and as a medical scientist and 
physician, I will actively pursue this dialogue and seek answers to 
these critical questions.
  The Nation's approach to these challenges must be broadened in scope 
and increased in level of participation. It must move away from an 
annual piecemeal approach, confined to specific programs' and agencies' 
funding within our own appropriations process. It must also gain the 
level of honesty and earnestness realized during the Cold War Era and 
in the wake of Sputnik. This nascent dialogue and recent legislative 
initiatives are encouraging first steps, but the challenge must expand 
to include more of the Congress, the Administration and the public.
  Congress must answer the critical questions to determine the role of 
the federal government, and then see that our laws and spending reflect 
the correct answers and clearly define our national interests. We must 
set out to understand our mission and to define our goals.
  America cannot afford to wait for another Sputnik to shake us from 
our complacency and to define our interests for us. Congress has a 
great challenge ahead, and we must act now to restore and preserve our 
competitive edge and standard of living--so much depends on the 
decisions Congress makes and on the sincerity, depth, and sobriety of 
the dialogue.

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