[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 97 (Monday, July 18, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8436-S8438]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING JACK ST. CLAIR KILBY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of S. Res. 200, which was submitted 
earlier today.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 200) honoring the life of Nobel 
     Laureate Jack St. Clair Kilby, inventor of the integrated 
     circuit and innovative leader in the Information Age.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. CORNYN. Mr. President, I rise today to say a few words about one 
of the greatest inventors--one of the most important innovators--in 
American history.
  One of America's greatest assets is the innovation and creativity of 
its inventors, scientists, and artists. Many of our most famous 
inventors have long been household names--well-known Americans such as 
Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and the Wright 
Brothers. These, and many other inventors, captured the imagination of 
a public rooted in the Industrial Age, through ideas which produced the 
telephone, the

[[Page S8437]]

automobile, the airplane--all inventions we now consider indispensable 
items.
  We now find ourselves in the initial stages of a new revolution--the 
Information Age. The rapid growth and development of information 
technology literally changes our lives by the second. This is an 
exciting time, and we have only just seen the beginning of this age.
  However, the pioneers of today don't roll off the tongue like those 
from years past. While some high-profile corporate leaders such as Bill 
Gates, Michael Dell, and other technology entrepreneurs come to mind, 
there are many unsung heroes without whom we may never have known the 
modern computer, the cell phone, or high-definition TV.
  One of these unsung heroes is Jack St. Clair Kilby, who passed away 
June 20, 2005, at 81 years of age. You see, a little less than 50 years 
ago, Mr. Kilby invented something called the integrated circuit. Today, 
we would refer to it as the microchip. The integrated circuit, or early 
microchip, spawned the Information Age and has made so much of the 
modern world as we know it today possible.
  Prior to Kilby's breakthrough, engineers were grappling with how to 
build better electronic circuits. At the time, transistors had replaced 
vacuum tubes--a major advancement--but electronic devices were still 
composed of hundreds or thousands of discrete components which were 
connected to thousands of wires. The challenge was to find a cost-
effective, reliable way of producing the components and connecting 
them.
  Kilby approached the problem in a completely novel way, making all 
the components of a single material. The device consisted of a single 
transistor and a few other components combined on a slice of germanium 
smaller than a paper clip. For context, today an integrated circuit 
smaller than a penny can hold 125 million transistors.
  From this first simple circuit has grown a worldwide integrated 
circuit market whose sales in 2004 totaled $179 billion. These 
components supported a 2004 worldwide electronic end-equipment market 
of $1.186 trillion. This technology has affected every known industry 
in the world in some form or fashion--healthcare, education, 
transportation, manufacturing, entertainment--and has made IT products 
more accessible and more affordable for the common man.
  Jack Kilby enjoyed the admiration and respect of his colleagues and 
others throughout the industry. Texas Instruments Chairman Tom Engibous 
said of Kilby:

       In my opinion, there are only a handful of people whose 
     works have truly transformed the world and the way we live in 
     it--Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Jack 
     Kilby. If there was ever a seminal invention that transformed 
     not only our industry but our world, it was Jack's invention 
     of the first integrated circuit.

  Jack St. Clair Kilby was born November 8, 1923, in Jefferson City, 
MO, and moved as a young child to Great Bend, KS, where he was raised 
and which he considered his hometown. His interest in electronics, 
radio technology in particular, was inspired by an experience in high 
school when an ice storm knocked down most of the telephone and power 
lines in a wide area in rural Kansas. His father, who ran a small 
electric company, worked with amateur radio operators to locate the 
areas that had been hit and to coordinate the provision of electrical 
service.
  Kilby served his country in the U.S. Army during World War II, where 
he was assigned to a radio repair shop at an outpost on a tea 
plantation in northeast India and later performed similar work in the 
field. He studied electrical engineering at the University of Illinois 
both before and after the war, earning a bachelor's degree in 1947. 
Like many of his generation, Mr. Kilby put his personal life on hold to 
serve his country.
  After working obtaining a masters degree from the University of 
Wisconsin in 1950, Kilby joined Texas Instruments in Dallas in 1958 
where he developed the first monolithic integrated circuit. He 
presented this invention to colleagues and tested it on September 12, 
1958, and within 4 years, TI won the first major integrated circuit 
contract to design and build special circuits for the Minuteman missile 
project.
  Kilby enjoyed a productive career at TI, where he held several 
management positions, including assistant vice president and director 
of engineering and technology for the Components Group. But more 
importantly, he created or helped to create some 60 patentable items, 
including the invention of the first hand-held calculator, which, in 
conjunction with his microchip design, initiated the early development 
of computers and was one of the first public introductions to digital 
electronics.
  Kilby was widely recognized for his work. Most notably, he was 
awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 2000. In addition, he won the 
National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology. 
Finally, a prestigious international award, the Kilby International 
Awards, bears his name.
  He passed away on June 20, 2005, at the age of 81 after a brief 
battle with cancer. His wife and sister preceded him in death. He is 
survived by two daughters, five granddaughters, and a son-in-law. 
Likewise, he leaves behind countless friends, colleagues, and admirers.
  In addition to his enormous contribution to science and technology, 
Mr. Kilby was known as a gentle and humble man who was tirelessly 
dedicated to his family and passionate about finding practical 
solutions to real problems. He loved to work with young students and 
engineers. He served as distinguished professor of electrical 
engineering from 1978 to 1984 at Texas A&M University, where he was 
able to share his experience, insight, and passion for research with 
students. He took an active interest in and consistently was available 
to young engineers, even young high school and grade school students 
who asked to interview him about his work. Certainly he hoped to 
inspire these young people.
  His contributions to science as well as his generosity and 
thoughtfulness were lessons for us all.
  Mr. President, I introduce a senate resolution honoring the life of 
Nobel Laureate Jack St. Clair Kilby, inventor of the integrated circuit 
and long-time engineer for Texas Instruments, to commend his work and 
tremendous contribution to the electronics industry and to the 
transformation of the global economy to the Information Age. I ask that 
my colleagues join me in supporting this resolution.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent the resolution be agreed to, 
the preamble be agreed to, and the motion to reconsider be laid on the 
table.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 200) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 200

       Whereas in July 1958, Mr. Kilby, as a young engineer, 
     resolved a long-standing engineering problem, known as the 
     ``tyranny of numbers'', which prevented engineers from simply 
     and reliably interconnecting electronic components to form 
     circuits by developing the first working integrated circuit;
       Whereas on September 12, 1958, Mr. Kilby demonstrated the 
     first working integrated circuit for his colleagues at Texas 
     Instruments, Inc. in Dallas, Texas;
       Whereas the resulting integrated circuit contributed to 
     national defense by facilitating the development of the 
     Minuteman Missile and other programs;
       Whereas the integrated circuit was central to creating the 
     modern computer and communications industries;
       Whereas the creation of the integrated circuit has 
     benefitted the people of Texas by spurring the economy of the 
     State with strong semiconductor and communications sectors 
     and has enabled the integrated circuit industry to enjoy 
     phenomenal growth from $29,000,000,000 annually in 1961 to 
     nearly $1,150,000,000,000 in 2005;
       Whereas on October 10, 2000, 42 years after demonstrating 
     the first integrated circuit, Mr. Kilby shared the 2000 Nobel 
     Prize in Physics for his part in the invention of the 
     integrated circuit;
       Whereas the integrated circuit, known today as the 
     microchip, was the first chip of its kind, drove the 
     technological growth of the Information Age, permitted both 
     the rapid evolution and the miniaturization of technological 
     products, and provided a foundation for important advances in 
     science and medicine that are saving and enriching lives 
     around the world;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby further advanced technological progress 
     by inventing more than 60 additional patented items, 
     including the hand-held calculator and the thermal printer;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby retired from Texas Instruments, Inc. 
     after 25 years of dedicated

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     service but maintained his presence at the company as a 
     source of inspiration to generations of young engineers until 
     his death on June 20, 2005;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby committed himself to education, serving 
     as a Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at 
     Texas A&M University from 1978 to 1984, sharing with students 
     the breadth of his knowledge and expertise;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby is 1 of only 13 individuals to receive 
     both the National Medal of Science and National Medal of 
     Technology, the most prestigious awards of the Federal 
     Government for technical achievement;
       Whereas the National Academy of Engineering, an independent 
     nonprofit institution that advises the Federal Government on 
     engineering and technology issues, awarded Mr. Kilby the 1989 
     Charles Stark Draper Prize, 1 of the preeminent awards for 
     engineering achievement in the world;
       Whereas the Inamori Foundation, a charitable institution in 
     Japan dedicated to promoting international understanding by 
     honoring individuals who have contributed to scientific 
     progress, culture, and human betterment, bestowed upon Mr. 
     Kilby the 1993 Kyoto Prize in Advanced Technology to 
     recognize his contributions to humanity and society;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby inspired the creation of the awards named 
     after him, the Kilby International Awards, which honor unsung 
     heroes and heroines who make significant contributions to 
     society through science, technology, innovation, invention, 
     and education;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby was inducted into the National Inventors 
     Hall of Fame, established in 1973 by the Patent and Trademark 
     Office of the Department of Commerce and the National Council 
     of Intellectual Property Associations, alongside other great 
     inventors in United States history;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby, a member of the ``Greatest Generation'', 
     served the United States in World War II as a member of the 
     United States Army;
       Whereas Mr. Kilby will be remembered not only as a great 
     technological innovator, but also as a loving husband, 
     dedicated father, and devoted grandfather; and
       Whereas Mr. Kilby's invention of the integrated circuit 
     revolutionized nearly all aspects of modern life, has made 
     technology more affordable and more accessible to the world, 
     and will continue to exert tremendous influence on the 
     development of technology in the 21st century: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) has heard with profound sorrow and deep regret the 
     announcement of the death of Nobel Laureate Jack St. Clair 
     Kilby;
       (2) commends Mr. Kilby for his pioneering work in the 
     fields of engineering and electronics, which laid the 
     foundation for the technological advances of the 20th and 
     21st centuries; and
       (3) directs the Secretary of the Senate to transmit 1 
     enrolled copy of this resolution to Mr. Kilby's family.

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