Clinton Administration Issues Technology Report

On February 22, the Clinton Administration released a report, “Technology for America’s Economic Growth, A New Direction to Build Economic Strength.” Among the highlights of this 36-page report summarizing the administration’s approach to science and technology are:

GOVERNMENT’S ROLE IN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT: “American technology must move in a new direction to build economic strength and spur economic growth. The traditional federal role in technology development has been limited to support of basic science and mission-oriented research in DOD, NASA, and other agencies. This strategy was appropriate for a previous generation but not for today’s profound challenges. We cannot rely on the serendipitous application of defense technology to the private sector. We must aim directly at these new challenges and focus our efforts on the new opportunities before us, recognizing that government can play a key role in helping private firms develop and profit from innovations.”

BASIC SCIENCE: "[We are] reaffirming our commitment to basic science, the foundation on which all technical progress is ultimately built.” Later in the document: “This administration will both ensure that support for basic science remains strong, and that stable funding is provided for projects that require continuity. We will not allow short-term fluctuations in funding levels to destroy critical research teams that have taken years to assemble. But stable funding requires setting clear priorities. In recent years, rather than canceling less important projects when research budgets have been tight, Federal agencies have tended to spread the pain, resulting in disruptive cuts and associated schedule delays in hundreds of programs. We will improve management of basic science to ensure that high-priority programs receive sustained support.”

NEW CRITERIA: “We are moving to accelerate the development of civilian technology with new criteria [such as] Accelerating the development of technologies critical for long-term economic growth but not receiving adequate support from private firms, either because the returns are too distant or because the level of funding required is too great for individual firms to bear.”

PHYSICS FACILITIES: “We must also turn to...national users facilities that make sophisticated research tools, such as synchrotron radiation and neutron beam tools, available to variety of research organizations.”

VICE PRESIDENT GORE, OSTP, AND FCCSET: “Working with Vice President Gore, a reinvigorated Office of Science and Technology Policy will lead in the development of science and technology policy and will use the Federal Coordinating Council on Science, Engineering and Technology, along with other means, to coordinate the R&D programs of the federal agencies.”

EARMARKING, MERIT REVIEW: “We also will work closely with Congress to prevent `earmarking’ of funds for science and technology. Peer review and merit-based competition are critical to the success of any [S&T] policy.”

PROJECTED NON-DEFENSE SHARE OF R&D: “The ratio of civilian and dual-use R&D to purely military R&D is significantly higher in President Clinton’s economic plan. This is a first step toward balancing funding levels for these two categories. In 1993, the civilian share of the total federal R&D budget was approximately 41%. Under President Clinton’s plan, the civilian share will be more than 50% by 1998. Total spending for civilian R&D will rise from $27.9 billion to $36.6 billion during this period.”

DARPA: “The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) will be renamed the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) -- as the agency was known before 1972. The ARPA program in dual use will be expanded in ways that increase the likelihood that defense research can lead to civilian product opportunities...Manufacturing R&D will receive particular attention from ATP [Advanced Technology Program], ARPA, and other federal agencies.”

LABORATORIES/CIVILIAN PARTNERSHIPS: “All laboratories managed by DOE, NASA, and the DOD that can make a productive contribution to the civilian economy will be reviewed with the aim of devoting at least 10-20% of their budgets to R&D partnerships with industry.”

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH: “NSF and HIH provide the vast majority of Federal funding for university research. Since universities play dual roles of research and teaching, the long-term scientific and technological vitality of the U.S. depends upon adequate and sustained funding for university research grant programs at NSF, NIH, and other research agencies.”

NATIONAL LABORATORIES: “In fields like high-energy physics, biomedical science, nuclear physics, materials sciences, and aeronautics, the national laboratories provide key facilities used by researchers in academia, Federal labs, and industry....We will ensure that Federal laboratories continue their key role in basic research and will encourage more cooperative research between the laboratories and industry and universities. And we will develop new missions for our federal labs to make full use of the talented and experienced men and women working there in today’s post-cold war era.”

SPACE SCIENCE AND EXPLORATION: “The resources needed for space exploration and research make government funding essential. We will continue to work with foreign partners to design missions needed to explore our solar system and the universe beyond. Research on micro-gravity and life-sciences as applied to the human in space program will also be supported.”

Other topics in this report include GOVERNMENT/INDUSTRY COOPERATION, EDUCATION AND TRAINING, AN INFORMATION INFRASTRUCTURE, ADVANCED MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY, AUTOMOBILE TECHNOLOGY, R&D TAX CREDIT, AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY.