[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: George H. W. Bush (1992, Book I)]
[February 12, 1992]
[Page 241]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the National Technology 
Initiative

February 12, 1992
    The President today endorsed a February 12, 1992, conference at the 
Massachusetts Institute of Technology to launch the national technology 
initiative.
    The President today in New Hampshire said, ``Look to the long-term, 
and we've got work to do . . . steps we can take right now to guarantee 
progress and prosperity into the next American century. We get there by 
investing in the technologies of tomorrow . . . with Federal support of 
R&D at record levels . . . . We need to share the results, get the great 
ideas generated by public funds out into the private sector, off the 
drawing board and onto store shelves. Our national technology initiative 
will do just that. . . . at M.I.T., the first regional meeting is 
underway.''
    The conference is the first of a series of regional meetings 
intended to spur U.S. economic competitiveness by promoting a better 
understanding of the opportunities for industry to commercialize new 
technology advances. The program will highlight the Federal Government's 
investment in advanced technologies, much of which may have commercial 
potential. It also will stress recent changes in Federal policies 
designed to foster private sector cooperation in commercializing 
technology.
    Secretary of Energy James D. Watkins, Acting Commerce Secretary 
Rockwell A. Schnabel, Acting Transportation Secretary James B. Busey, 
and NASA Administrator Richard Truly described the joint initiative as a 
way to address one of the key challenges facing industry: the need to 
translate new technologies into marketplace goods and services. 
Encouraging closer cooperation among U.S. companies and better links 
with Federal laboratories is a central element of the initiative.
    The M.I.T. conference and subsequent meetings around the country 
will provide an opportunity for a discussion among Government, industry, 
and universities and increase awareness of Federal science and 
technology programs that can benefit U.S. firms. In recent years, 
Congress and the Bush administration have taken steps to better enable 
the private sector to commercialize federally supported research.