    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book I)]
    [March 29, 1995]
    [Pages 433-435]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    Message to the Congress on Science and Technology
    March 29, 1995

    To the Congress of the United States:
        This Nation's future depends on strong public and private support
    for science and technology. My Administration's decision to make sound
    investments in science and technology even as the Federal Government
    cuts other spending is premised on three basic assumptions:
         Technology is the engine of economic growth.
         Scientific knowledge is the key to the future.
         Responsible government advances science and technology.
        The Congress and the American people can find evidence of the
    Administration's dedication to responsible government support for
    science and technology in our defense and economic policies as well as
    our management of the science and technology enterprise. We have
    decreased the Federal deficit, helped to create millions of new jobs,
    and improved the tax treatment of small businesses and of investments in
    research and development. Hemispheric and global trade agreements as
    well as relaxation of outdated export controls have opened huge export
    markets to America's high-tech industries. My National Security Strategy
    of Engagement and Enlargement (February 1995) depends on farsighted and
    efficient science and technology investments. Our foreign policy and
    security interests are also supported by mutually beneficial
    international cooperation in science and technology.
        We have consistently endorsed technology policies to increase
    prosperity and enhance environmental quality. In Technology for
    America's

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    Economic Growth (February 1993) and Technology for a Sustainable Future
    (July 1994) this Administration conveyed to the American people our
    plans for public/private partnerships to improve the business
    environment, enhance access to quality education and training, support
    development of information infrastructure, ensure continued excellence
    in health care, and strengthen America's global competitiveness.
        Streamlined government based on strong partnerships--within the
    government, with the private sector, and among nations--is a hallmark of
    the Clinton/Gore Administration. The ``virtual department'' I created by
    establishing the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has cut
    bureaucratic red tape and produced a historic first: an integrated
    research and development budget that focuses on national goals. The NSTC
    has also produced large savings by enabling agencies to coordinate their
    efforts, divide tasks, and share resources.
        My Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) provides
    critical links to industry and academia. Their oversight of NSTC
    activities, such as development of strategies for the management and
    disposition of fissile materials, promises to improve the Federal
    effort. So, too, do the forums and workshops that have drawn in
    thousands of experts and stakeholders to help develop priorities in
    areas as diverse as fundamental science; environmental technology; and
    health; safety; and food research.
        I am also very proud of the steps we have taken to improve
    international cooperation in science and technology. Through the Gore-
    Chernomyrdin Commission we have used science and technology cooperation
    to ease the Russians' transition to democracy and a market economy. We
    have received valuable new technology and cultivated a crucial partner
    in global affairs through Russian participation in the international
    space station. We have used the Megasciences Forum of the Organization
    for Economic Cooperation and Development and other international forums
    to explore ways to share the increasing costs of cutting-edge research
    while maintaining our position of world leadership. Bilateral science
    and technology cooperation with other nations, including advanced
    industrial economies such as Japan, and big, emerging markets such as
    the People's Republic of China, serve us well in the global economy--
    giving us access to new ideas and new technologies while creating new
    opportunities for business.
        Economists have estimated that the social rate of return on
    investments in research and development averages about 50 percent, or
    about double the average private rate of return. Clearly a solid Federal
    investment program is justified even in the leanest times. It is
    especially important for the Federal Government to maintain its
    investments in science and technology when the pressures of
    international competition are leading businesses to focus on shorter
    term payoffs at the expense of more basic, longer term, and riskier
    research and development.
        In Science in the National Interest (August 1994), the Vice
    President and I reaffirmed our longstanding commitment to world
    leadership in science, mathematics, and engineering. Scientific
    discoveries inspire and enrich us. Equally important, science and
    mathematics education provides all Americans with the knowledge and
    skills they need to prepare for and adapt to the high-technology jobs of
    the future and to exercise the responsibilities of citizenship.
        This Administration has articulated clear goals and established
    priorities for Federal spending, and our economic policies have improved
    the climate for private investment as well. We intend to work closely
    with the Congress to ensure the well-being of our children and
    grandchildren. These investments will prepare us for the challenges of
    the 21st century.

                                                          William J. Clinton

    The White House,

    March 29, 1995.

    Note: This message was released by the Office of the Press Secretary on
    March 31.

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