[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 15 (Monday, April 14, 1997)]
[Page 494]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Congress Transmitting a Report on Science and Technology

April 9, 1997

To the Congress of the United States:

    A passion for discovery and a sense of adventure have always driven 
this Nation forward. These deeply rooted American qualifies spur our 
determination to explore new scientific frontiers and spark our can-do 
spirit of technological innovation. Continued American leadership 
depends on our enduring commitment to science, to technology, to 
learning, to research.
    Science and technology are transforming our world, providing an age 
of possibility and a time of change as profound as we have seen in a 
century. We are well-prepared to shape this change and seize the 
opportunities so as to enable every American to make the most of their 
God-given promise. One of the most important ways to realize this vision 
is through thoughtful investments in science and technology. Such 
investments drive economic growth, generate new knowledge, create new 
jobs, build new industries, ensure our national security, protect the 
environment, and improve the health and quality of life of our people.
    This biennial report to the Congress brings together numerous 
elements of our integrated investment agenda to promote scientific 
research, catalyze technological innovation, sustain a sound business 
environment for research and development, strengthen national security, 
build global stability, and advance educational quality and equality 
from grade school to graduate school. Many achievements are presented in 
the report, together with scientific and technological opportunities 
deserving greater emphasis in the coming years.
    Most of the Federal research and education investment portfolio 
enjoyed bipartisan support during my first Administration. With the 
start of a new Administration, I hope to extend this partnership with 
the Congress across the entire science and technology portfolio. Such a 
partnership to stimulate scientific discovery and new technologies will 
take America into the new century well-equipped for the challenges and 
opportunities that lie ahead.
    The future, it is often said, has no constituency. But the truth is, 
we must all be the constituency of the future. We have a duty--to 
ourselves, to our children, to future generations--to make these 
farsighted investments in science and technology to help us master this 
moment of change and to build a better America for the 21st century.
                                            William J. Clinton
The White House,
April 9, 1997.