Statement before US Senate on May 14, 1993

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Madame Chairman, Members of the Committee, I am pleased to appear before youfor the first time as Director of the Office of Science and Techno logy Policy(OSTP). I will present testimony on OSTP's budget request for Fiscal Year1994. I will also provide a brief overview of six initiatives of the FederalCoordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET), which Ichair, and of some other highlights of the President's plans to use science andtechnology to promote a strong economy, a healthy environment, and a responsiveand efficient government.

The Clinton Administration believes that in vesting in science and technologyis investing in America's future: a growing economy with more high-skill,high-wage jobs for American workers; a cleaner environment where, for example,energy efficiency increases profits and reduces pollution; a strong er, morecompetitive private sector able to maintain U.S. leadership in critical worldmarkets; an educational system where every student is challenged to reach hisor her full potential; and an inspired scientific and technological researchcommunity foc used on ensuring not just our national security but our veryquality of life. The most important measure of success of the Federalinitiatives will be our ability to make a difference in the lives of theAmerican people, to support science and direct tec hnology so they improve thequality of life and the economic strength of our nation.

The Office of Science and Technology Policy, created by the National Scienceand Technology Policy, Organization, and Priorities Act of 1976 (P.L. 94-282),coordi nates science and technology policy for the White House. OSTP supportsthe Administration's objectives by: providing authoritative scientific andtechnological information, analysis, and advice for the President, for theExecutive Branch, and for Congres s; participating in formulation, coordination,and implementation of national and international policies and programs thatinvolve science and technology; maintaining and promoting the health andvitality of the U.S. science and technology infrastructure; and coordinatingresearch and development efforts of the Federal government to maximize thereturn on the public's investment in science and technology and to ensureFederal resources are used efficiently and appropriately.

The total FY 1994 budg et request of $5,170,000 is intended to support 40professional and support staff for OSTP and 6 detailees. The request providesfor four Associate Directors -- the number authorized in the enablinglegislation. The FY 1994 request also provides for an estimated 7 assistantdirectors and several policy analysts, consistent with the current OSTPstaffing configuration. The professional staff will be composed of individualswith diverse skills, multiple advanced degrees, and broad experience. This ises sential, given the number and variety of issues addressed by OSTP and thechanges in emphasis from year to year. OSTP also utilizes detailees from otheragencies to fulfill staffing needs in specialized science and technologyareas.

The total OST P budget request for FY 1994 provides a base of support that willallow OSTP to fulfill its growing responsibilities related to Administrationprograms, policies, and initiatives involving science and technology,including:

Making recommendations to the President and his staff on current major issuesof science and technology policy. This requires a very high level ofparticipation and interaction by OSTP with numerous coordinating groups withinthe Executive Office of the President and with all Federal departments andagencies.

Directing and coordinating the Federal Coordinating Council for Science,Engineering and Technology (FCCSET) and its committees and subgroups. Thisrequires an intensive level of participation, coordination, and gu idance byOSTP staff on the various FCCSET committees and subgroups.

Coordinating the science and technology elements of the programs of Federalagencies and departments.

Prioritizing and coordinating the different objectives of the Nation's civ il,military, and commercial space activities and developing policies that are inthe broad national interest (a new responsibility formerly carried out by theNational Space Council).

Anticipating new science and technology issues, or issues with a significantscience and technology component, especially those with a longer-rangeperspective, and initiating interagency coordination on such issues.

In consultation with the Department of State, developing, planning, andimplementing international bilateral science and technology agreements withforeign countries. Interagency coordination, under FCCSET, of science andtechnology issues in negotiated agreements with foreign countries.

Interacting with various science and technology related groups outside of theFederal Government.

The responsibilities of the Assistant to the President for Science andTechnology and of OSTP have increased in the Clinton Adminis tration.Significant additions to OSTP's responsibilities include:

The Director of OSTP, as Assistant to the President for Science andTechnology, plays an active role in the newly formed National EconomicCouncil.

OSTP has been directed to complete absorption of the essential functions ofthe National Space Council and the National Critical Materials Council by thebeginning of Fiscal Year 1994. OSTP specific responsibility within theExecutive Office of the President will include: revie w of United StatesGovernment space policy, including long-range goals and development of astrategy for national space activities; development of recommendations for thePresident on space policy and space-related issues; monitoring and coordinationof i mplementation of the objectives of the President's national space policy byExecutive Departments and agencies; and fostering close coordination,cooperation, and technology and information exchange among the civil, nationalsecurity, and commercial space sectors, and facilitating resolution ofdifferences concerning major space and space-related policy issues. Inaddition, OSTP will take the lead role in: assisting the President inestablishing coherent national materials policies; coordinating Federal materials-related policies, programs, and research and technology activities;and reviewing and appraising the various programs and activities of the Federalgovernment in accordance with the policy and directions given in the NationalMaterials and Miner als Policy, Research, and Development Act of 1980.

Under the President's investment plan, OSTP has assumed additionalresponsibilities in science and mathematics education, the environment, highperformance computing and communications, biotechnolog y, materials science, andtechnology, particularly as it affects global competitiveness.

The Director of OSTP chairs FCCSET, which will have an expanded mission andaugmented role in the new Administration.

In Fiscal Year 1994, OSTP requests an increase in funding of $945,000 over theappropriation made for OSTP in Fiscal Year 1993 (excluding consideration of $2million provided to the Consortium for International Earth Science InformationNetwork (CIESIN) through OSTP in FY '93). OSTP's ass umption of the essentialfunctions of the National Space Council and the National Critical MaterialsCouncil creates an overall decrease of $881,000 in the funding available tothese functions, thus the budget request can fairly be portrayed as a savings over FY '93 levels. Growth in the reconstituted OSTP's personnel compensation-- pay and benefits -- largely accounts for the requested increase. Thisgrowth is occasioned by the addition of new responsibilities and by thetransition from reliance on de tailees during the previous Administration toreliance on full-time equivalent staff (FTEs) and hiring up to OSTP's permittedstrength of 40 positions. OSTP hopes to have a more stable staff in place forFiscal Year 1994 (and beyond) than has been the ca se in prior years.

We have also requested an increase in the funds available for consultingservices. Since OSTP is limited in the number of detailees that can beborrowed from other agencies, we will depend on contracts for specializeddeliverab les to fill short-term, highly technical information needs. This typeof contracting to complement staff capabilities served the Congressional Officeof Technology Assessment very well during my years as Director there, and Ibelieve it can be used to ve ry good effect at OSTP as well.

OSTP has a critical role to play in coordinating science and technology policyfor the Executive Branch. The performance of the Office will be enhanced bygreater stability in the permanent staff coupled with bette r access tospecialized, "cutting edge" information needed on a quick turn-around,short-term basis. The budget requested for Fiscal Year 1994 would supportthese needs. I hope the following descriptions of two important OSTP functions-- chairmanship o f FCCSET and leadership on implementing the technologyinitiative -- will help you to appreciate OSTP's role and to support this levelof funding.

The Federal Coordinating Council for Science, Engineering, and Technology (FCCSET) plays an essential role in developing and implementing U.S. scienceand technology policy. Chaired by the Director of OSTP, FCCSET is chargedwith:

-- Providing more effective planning, integration, and coordination of Federalscientifi c, engineering, educational, and technological programs;

-- Achieving more effective utilization of the scientific, engineering,educational, and technological resources and facilities of Federal agencies;

-- Involving individuals, universities, a nd companies from the non-Federalsector in addressing the interaction of the Federal government and the privatesector on scientific, engineering, educational, and technological issues; and

-- Furthering international cooperation in science, engineer ing, andtechnology.

The agencies participating in FCCSET, in conjunction with OSTP and the Officeof Management and Budget, have undertaken crosscutting analyses of all Federalactivities in 6 specific areas of science and technology. FCCSET per formed aninventory of current agency activities in these areas and fashioned coordinatedFederal strategies with long-range goals and priorities. These FCCSETinitiatives, described below, address issues of great importance to nationalneeds and objecti ves. The agencies involved in FCCSET deserve specialrecognition for their efforts in these critical areas.

Biotechnology is a burgeoning industry worldwide, promising profound impact onthe forefront of innov ative technologies in health care, agriculture, energy,and environmental management. By the year 2000, the biotechnology industry isprojected to have sales reaching $50 billion in the United States. Developmentand production of biotechnological produ cts will create thousands of new jobsand promote renewed economic growth, and has the potential of helping addressagricultural, environmental, and health concerns in development countries.

Over the past 3 decades, with basic fundamental research support from theFederal government, the United States has become the international leader inbiotechnology research, development, and commercialization. The goal of theBiotechnology Research initiative is to sustain and extend U.S. leadership inbiote chnology research for the 21st Century in order to enhance the quality oflife for all Americans, and to spur the growth of this component of a healthyU.S. economy.

Twelve Federal agencies participate in this FCCSET initiative: theDepartments o f Health and Human Services (DHHS), Agriculture (USDA), Commerce(DOC), Defense (DoD), Energy (DOE), Interior (DOI), Justice (DOJ), andVeterans' Affairs (VA), and the Agency for International Development (AID), theEnvironmental Protection Agency (EPA), the National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration (NASA), and the National Science Foundation (NSF). The FY 1994budget request for this initiative is $4.3 billion, which includes funding byeach participant. Working together, these agencies have propos ed thatbiotechnology research related to health and the environment be highlighted inFY 1994 and received detailed evaluation and coordination of efforts among theagencies. These two broad areas of application are inherently part of criticalnational issues. The increased attention to the contribution of biotechnologyto these areas is, therefore, particularly warranted. At the same time,however, a strong commitment will be maintained to the strategic importance ofother areas of biotechnology rese arch, including agriculture, energy, generalfoundations, and manufacturing and bioprocessing.

The High Performance Computing and communications (HPCC) FCCSET initiative isdevelop ing computing, communications, and software technologies for the 21stCentury. Now in its third year, the HPCC initiative is making progress towardproviding the higher speed computing and communications capabilities andadvanced software needed in criti cal research and development programs. TheHPCC initiative will be fully supportive and coordinated with the emergingNational Information Infrastructure (NII) Initiative, which is part of thePresident's and Vice President's Technology Initiative releas ed February 22,1993.

The NII is the platform of advanced computing, communications, information,and human resources upon which industry, government, and academia can integratetheir information functions. This will enable the creation and deliv ery of newservices that will improve competitiveness and benefit all citizens. CEO's ofthe nation's leading telecommunications and computer companies haveacknowledged in landmark policy statements that the HPCC Initiative is layingthe technological f oundation for the NII.

Participants in HPCC -- DoD's Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) andNational Security Agency (NSA), NSF, DOE, NASA, DOC's National Oceanic andAtmospheric Administration (NOAA) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and EPA -- coordinate their activities in order to leverageefforts in areas of common need and mission overlap. No individual agency haseither the mission or the expertise to develop all components of a nationalinformation infrastru cture, but each agency plays a necessary and complementaryrole. The President's FY 1994 budget requests $1.1 billion for the HPCCInitiative.

The goal of the SMETE initiative is to ensure the health and wellbeing ofscience, mathematics, engineering, and technology education at all levels andin all sectors. Eleven agencies -- DOC, DoD, DOE, DOI, EPA, DHHS, NASA, NSF,USDA, the Department of Education (ED), and th e Smithsonian Institution (SI) --participate in this initiative, and they have established priorities andmilestones in areas of responsibility from kindergarten through postgraduateeducation, as well as public understanding of science and technology ed ucation.The participants carefully monitor progress toward achieving the milestones andwork toward ensuring interagency coordination and communication.

In support of the President's efforts to improve math and science education,SMETE will addre ss:

-- Elementary and secondary system reform, by attempting to fosterstandards-based systemic reform through an approach that incorporates ambitiouscontent standards for all students, curriculum, in-service training, teacherpreparation programs, a nd assessments linked to those standards;

-- Undergraduate revitalization, by supporting curriculum revisions, providingmore undergraduate faculty with research experience, and providing studentfinancial assistance;

-- Graduate education, by con tinuing to provide pre- and post-doctoral studentsupport;

-- Public understanding of science, by supporting programs designed toincrease the ability of adults to make informed choices on science-relatedissues; and

-- Technology education, by su pporting efforts to improve the school-to-worktransition and ensuring that all workers receive the training necessary to keeppace with a rapidly changing economy.

The participants in this initiative have identified several crosscuttingprioritie s to be addressed in Fiscal Year 1994 and beyond, including:increasing the use of educational technology; increasing participation ofunderrepresented groups; identification and dissemination of exemplarymaterials; and evaluation. The President's FY 19 94 budget proposes investing$2.33 billion in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology educationprograms. These resources would allow the agencies participating in thisinitiative to implement the first stages of a comprehensive strategy for th ereform of mathematics and science education at all levels.

The goal of the U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is to gain abetter understanding of the interactive physical, geological, chemical,bio logical, economic, and social processes that regulate the total Earthsystem. Such an understanding will help establish a scientific basis fornational and international policy formulation and action.

To fulfill the goals and address the strategi c priorities of the USGCRP, 4parallel but interconnected streams of national and international activity havebeen developed:

-- Observations and data management: the establishment of an integrated,comprehensive, long-term program of Earth system ob servations and datamanagement on a global scale;

-- Process research: the development of a program of focused studies toimprove knowledge of the physical, geological, chemical, biological, and socialprocesses that influence and govern Earth system behavior and our knowledge ofthe impact of global change on human health and activities;

-- Integrated modeling and prediction: the development and application ofintegrated conceptual and predictive Earth system models; and

-- Assessments: th e documentation and assessment of the state of scientificknowledge and uncertainties and the implications of the science of globalchange to support national and international policymaking activities over abroad spectrum of global and regional environme ntal issues.

The USGCRP maintains a formal mechanism to coordinate the interests ofindustry, business, commerce, and nongovernmental environmental groups withFederal participants (DOC, DoD, DOE, DOI, EPA, DHHS, NASA, NSF, SI, USDA, andthe Tenne ssee Valley Authority (TVA)). The President's FY 1994 budget requests$1.5 billion for the U.S. Global Change Research Program Initiative.

Manufacturing is the foundation of the U.S. economy. The United States wasthe unchallenged world leader in manufacturing for many years. Thisperformance has slipped, however, in recent decades. Domestic university andindustrial laboratories still excel at achieving basic scientificbreakthroughs, such as the discovery of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)technology, which permits the rapid replication of DNA molecules in the testtube and has revolutionized biotechnology research. But too often, foreignfirms often are better at turning technology into new products and processesboth quickly and inexpensively.

The United States now has an unprecedented opportunity to accelerate thedevelopment and application of advanced manufacturing technologies -- theprocesses, information, and equipment ne eded for future competitiveness. Byutilizing the Nation's technological strengths and a properly timed andcoordinated research and development (R&D) program, industry, government,and academia can work together as a national team to help U.S. manuf acturersplay an enhanced role in domestic and international markets.

The participants in AMT -- DOC, DoD, DOE, DOI, EPA, NASA, NSF, and USDA --have established the following goal: to accelerate the development andapplication of advanced manufa cturing technologies to dramatically improve themanufacturing capabilities of a broad spectrum of U.S. industries. The goalwill be accomplished by developing a coherent and synergistic interagencyprogram in advanced manufacturing technology R&D an d by combining andintegrating Federal efforts in cooperation with the States and otherstakeholders. The budget requested to support this initiative in FY 1994 is$1.4 billion. AMT will have a major role in coordinating the FederalGovernment's contrib ution to development and deployment of a new generation ofautomobiles, part of the President's technology initiative.

The Nation's economic prosperity, environmental well-being, and q uality oflife are linked to the development of advanced materials and processingtechnologies. Improved materials and processes can contribute to increasedenergy efficiency, improved environmental quality, sustained national security,reduced health-ca re costs, development of information "superhighways,"reconstruction of the infrastructure, and production of new transportationvehicles that will carry the Nation into the 21st Century.

Now in its first year, the AMP already has had a significan t impact. Thespotlight on advanced materials and processing has heightened the emphasis onthese topics in the participating agencies. An inventory of all active Federalmaterials R&D programs conducted during development of the AMP provided afoun dation for the initiative, and it serves as an invaluable, comprehensiveguide to Federal programs for private-sector organizations interested inleveraging their R&D resources.

Each participating agency -- DOC, DoD, DOE, DOI, the Department o fTransportation (DOT), EPA, DHHS, NASA, NSF, and USDA -- focuses on aspects ofmaterials R&D relevant to the agency's missions and cooperates with otheragencies in areas of common interest. The President's budget request for thisinitiative in FY 1 994 is $2 billion. The funds will be directed toward 4strategic objectives:

-- Establish and maintain the U.S. scientific and technological leadershipposition in advanced materials and processing;

-- Bridge the gap between innovation and co mmercial application of advancedmaterials technologies;

-- Support agencies' mission objectives to meet national needs withimprovements in advanced materials and processing; and

-- Encourage university and private-sector R&D activities in ma terialstechnologies, their applications, and their implementation.

The President has made a serious proposal to put science and technology towork for all sectors of the American economy. He has offered a comprehensiveblueprint to focus American science and technology on 3 central goals:

We are moving in a new direction that recognizes the critical role technologymust play in stimulating and sustaining the long-term economic growth thatcreates high-q uality jobs and protects our environment. The traditionalfederal role in technology development has been limited to support of basicscience and mission-oriented research in, primarily, the Defense Department andNASA. This strategy was appropriate for a previous generation, but not fortoday's profound challenges. We cannot rely on the serendipitous applicationof defense technology to the private sector. We must aim directly at our goalsand focus our efforts on the new opportunities before us, rec ognizing thatgovernment can play a key role in enabling private firms to develop and profitfrom innovations.

Several aspects of the President's FY 1994 budget reflect this new attempt tocapture fully the opportunities created by the science and technologyinvestment. President Clinton has requested record-high R&D funding ofnearly $76 billion in the FY '94 budget. In a budget focused on deficitreduction, the Administration proposes a 3 percent increase for R&D. Thebudget reflects a fundamental tenet of the Clinton Administration: Investmentin science and technology is an investment in America's future.

Commercially-relevant R&D is a mainstay of the FY '94 request. Thisrequest includes:

-- Funding for over 1 ,700 Cooperative Research and Development Agreements(CRADAs) throughout the national laboratory system, with public and privateinvestments anticipated to exceed $3 billion; and

-- A dramatic increase -- almost 19 percent -- in funding for the Nation alInstitute for Standards and Technology (NIST).

In this budget, how we spend money receives as much attention as howmuch we spend. Each department and agency will participate in this basicres tructuring of Federal R&D spending. Cabinet Secretaries and AgencyDirectors have, at the request of the Vice President, named deputies orundersecretaries for science and technology. These individuals will meet,under the chairmanship of the Office of Science and Technology Policy and theNational Economic Council, to develop and coordinate an overall science andtechnology policy. Agency budget requests already reflect the increasedemphasis on science and technology as critical policy tools. Fo r instance:

Defense Conversion and Dual Use Technologies. To keep U.S. forcestechnologically superior, and to support U.S. economic growth, the FY 1994budget for the Department of Defense emphasizes dual-use technologies, withtheir potential a pplications in the civilian economy as well as in militarysystems. Areas of focus include high definition systems, advanced materials,microelectronics, x-ray lithography, flat panel displays, and follow-on DefenseReinvestment programs, such as dual-us e critical technology partnershipsstarted with congressional guidance in FY 1993.

ARPA will administer a program, in cooperation with the Departments ofCommerce and Energy and the National Science Foundation, to aid in the defenseconversion pr ocess through a series of grants to assist in the development anddeployment of technology. The bulk of the funds in the program will go towardsindustry cost-shared programs; other funds will be available for grants touniversities and for manufacturing extension activities. Budget authorityrequested for this defense reinvestment program in FY 1994 is $0.4 billion.

Energy Policy. The proposed FY 1994 budget for the Department of Energyreflects the Administration's efforts to comply with the spirit and letter ofthe Energy Policy Act of 1992. For example, funding for activities in thesolar and renewable energy sources area are proposed to increase over 26percent from FY 1993 appropriated levels. Funding for the energy conservationaccount is proposed to increase 35 percent over last year's appropriatedlevels. These types of changes reflect the President's conviction thateconomic efficiency and environmental quality are fully compatible goals.

Among the activities to be funded b y the solar and renewable energy budgetrequest -- $327.2 million -- are cooperative work with industry on photovoltaicmanufacturing technology, new applications of wind technology and advances inthe component technologies for wind generation, biofuels, electric power systemefficiency improvements, and the use of high temperature superconductors forelectricity transmission. Within the energy conservation program (with totalfunding requested at $762.6 million), funding for research relevant to theut ilities sector is proposed to increase 36 percent and includes support formore widespread adoption of integrated resource planning by the utilityindustry. Buildings sector research is proposed to increase 65 percent to fundresearch on cost effective, commercially attractive energy efficient andrenewable energy technologies. Special attention is being given toreplacements for chlorofluorocarbons in refrigerants and foam insulation and tostrategies to identify, measure, and mitigate indoor air quali ty problems.Several programs to provide technology transfer and financial assistance forenergy conservation activities are also included within the energy conservationaccount.

Space. In FY 1994, funding for NASA is proposed to rise 6.5 percent fromappropriated 1993 levels. This includes an 18 percent increase in funding foraeronautics research, a 7 percent increase for space science and applicationsexcluding activities related to the space station, and a 9 percent increase inNASA's space technology budget. The combined FY 1994 budget for space station,station-related activities, and additional new technology investments is $2.3billion.

A proposed $1.02 billion dollar effort maintains a strong commitment todevelop a broad techn ology base in support of the aviation industry, enhancesafety and capacity of the national airspace system, and assure U.S.superiority for national defense. Funding is included to augment high speedresearch, advanced subsonic technology, advanced comp uting capabilities, andkey research facility upgrades.

The 1994 budget request includes a $2.3 billion dollar request for spacestation and new technology investments. Specific budget and program plans fornew technology investments will be subm itted to the Congress in June, followingthe space station redesign study. Among the areas that could receive fundingunder new technology investments are research in automation and robotics,advanced launch technology, development of small satellites t hat areultra-light and low-cost, small earth probes, new small deep space probes forscience and exploration, and methods for improved analysis and distribution ofdata from ongoing science missions. The Administration may consider fundingtechnology re search institutes -- consortia combining the talents of NASA, theaerospace industry and universities.

Health. The FY 1994 request for the National Institutes of Health emphasizessupport of basic research and increases the emphasis on the high p riority areasof women's health issues, minority health issues, AIDS research, and humangenome research. The budget includes a 105 percent increase for breast cancerresearch, a 21 percent increase in AIDS research, and a 27 percent increase inhuman ge nome research.

Public/Private Partnerships. In a time of scarce resources, it is essentialto merge public and private interests wherever possible. We expect bigpay-offs for the Nation from leveraged Federal investments, i.e., partnershipswith industry (e.g, consortia, cooperative R&D agreements) that ensure thatR&D funds are directed toward national needs and that innovations thatoccur in the laboratory move quickly into the marketplace.

In FY 1994, program funding for the N ational Institute of Standards andTechnology is proposed to rise almost 70 percent from appropriated 1993 levels.The request includes $30.2 million for a program that combines theManufacturing Technology Centers and the State Technology Extension Progr aminto an integrated system that can provide small- and medium-sizedmanufacturers access to support for adopting "off the shelf" and advancedmanufacturing technologies. In addition, the funding request for the AdvancedTechnology Program is $199 milli on, an increase of $132 million over FY 1993appropriations, to allow NIST to provide cost-sharing grants to moreindustry-led research projects to develop new precompetitive generictechnologies. In the first 3 competitions, NIST has been able to fund o nly 60projects chosen through a competitive process from over 660 proposals. Therequested increase will allow NIST to support at least 2 open competitions forgrants in FY 1994 resulting in about 100 additional awards.

Commitment to Basic Resea rch. Basic research is the seed bed for thetechnical advances that drive the economy. It's economic payoff isunpredictable, but historically it is very high. In almost every field, U.S.researchers lead their foreign colleagues in scientific citation s, in NobelPrizes, and in most other measures of scientific excellence. None of theinnovations in applied R&D proposed in this budget will be funded at theexpense of basic science. This budget proposes $14 billion for basic research,including an 18 percent increase for the National Science Foundation over FY1993 appropriated levels.

The proposed budget will enable NSF to fund almost 22,300 awards. Inaddition, there will be increases in support for other programs that enhancethe resea rch capabilities of the Nation's scientists and engineers, including a$56 million increase in support for unique national facilities such astelescopes, research ships, and supercomputers, and an increase of more than$11 million for support for instrume ntation and equipment. Support foreducation and human resource development at NSF is proposed to increase over 14percent.

Growth in OSTP's responsibilities corresponds with growth in the importance ofscience and technology i n many areas of national policy. Given the continuingchallenges to the Nation in OSTP's areas of responsibility, I hope you willsupport our budget request of $5.17 million.

The President has adopted an aggressive stance on the direction of scie nce andtechnology toward solving national problems and achieving national goals. Asmy testimony described, R&D funds will be invested in areas that will boostproductivity and improve economic performance as well as in areas that ensurethe United