[Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton (1995, Book II)]
[September 25, 1995]
[Pages 1487-1488]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]



[[Page 1487]]


Statement on the Future of Federal Laboratories
September 25, 1995

    On May 5, 1994, I directed the Department of Defense, the Department 
of Energy, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to 
review their major laboratories. These three laboratory systems account 
for approximately one-fifth of the Federal investment in research and 
development (R&D)--approximately $15 billion out of a total of about $70 
billion. I sought a study that would assess the continuing value of 
these laboratories in serving vital public needs, and I wanted an 
evaluation of options for change within these labs for the purpose of 
cutting costs and improving R&D productivity.
    Informed by that review, I am announcing today an initial set of 
directives which will affect these laboratories well into the future.
    I have concluded that these laboratories provide essential services 
to the Nation in fundamental science, national security, environmental 
protection and cleanup, and industrial competitiveness. Many of these 
laboratories are equipped with research tools that are among the finest 
in the world. They employ personnel with extraordinary and, in many 
cases, irreplaceable talent. These labs have contributed greatly to our 
Nation in the past and hold the potential for contributions of 
tremendous importance in the future.
    One example where the national laboratories can help change the 
course of history is with respect to nuclear weapons. On August 11, 
1995, I announced my decision to seek a ``zero'' yield Comprehensive 
Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). I was able to make that decision based on 
assurances by the Secretary of Energy and the Directors of the 
Department of Energy's nuclear weapons labs that we can meet the 
challenge of maintaining our nuclear deterrent under a CTBT through a 
science-based stockpile stewardship program without nuclear testing.
    To meet the challenge of ensuring confidence in the safety and 
reliability of our stockpile, I have concluded that the continued 
vitality of all three DOE nuclear weapons laboratories will be 
essential.
    In accordance with this conclusion, I have directed the Department 
of Energy to maintain nuclear weapons responsibilities and capabilities 
adequate to support the science-based stockpile stewardship program 
required to ensure continued confidence in the safety and reliability of 
the nuclear weapons stockpile in the absence of nuclear testing. Stable 
funding for this effort based on bipartisan support will be necessary in 
order to meet this requirement.
    Strong bipartisan support equally is necessary across a broad range 
of other science and technology programs being performed in Federal 
laboratories, academia, and the private sector. Since the beginning of 
my administration, we have placed a high priority on investments in 
science and technology. We believe that few areas of Federal spending 
will be more important to the well-being of future generations than R&D. 
We are deeply concerned about budget actions that could cripple our 
capacity to find new ways of solving the scientific and technological 
challenges of the 21st century.
    Among our greatest strengths as our Nation moves into the next 
century will be our ability to innovate, to design new drugs, to find 
new ways to enhance our national security, to develop new tools for 
managing enormous amounts of information, to generate new ways of 
harnessing energy, to produce new materials and processes that result in 
new products and industries at lower cost and with less pollution, and 
to expand the frontiers of our knowledge of the universe. These 
laboratories have excelled in such innovations as these and will 
continue to yield great public dividends for our Federal investment.
    At the same time, these labs must be run as efficiently as possible. 
I have directed the agencies to review and, as appropriate, to rescind 
internal management instructions and oversight that impede laboratory 
performance. I have directed the agencies to clarify and focus the 
mission assignments of their laboratories. I also have directed the 
agencies to achieve all possible budget savings through streamlining and 
management improvements before productive R&D programs are sacrificed. 
Many agencies and laboratories already are making important progress in 
each of these areas of management reform.

[[Page 1488]]

    It has been said that R&D investments are an expression of our 
confidence as a Nation in our future. Today we are reaping the benefits 
of those who wisely invested in Federal R&D in the past. While it would 
be easy to destroy premier Federal laboratories through severe budget 
cuts or senseless closures, that is not a path that this administration 
will follow. We will invest in our Federal laboratories while pursuing 
aggressive management reforms that ensure the maximum productive output 
for the taxpayers' investments.