Science and Technology

Science and technology contribute immeasurably to the lives of all Americans.  Our high standard of living is largely the product of the technology that surrounds us in the home or factory.  Our good health is due in large part to our ever increasing scientific understanding.  Our national security is assured by the application pate science and technology will bring.

The Federal government has a special role to play in science and technology.  Although the fruits of scientific achievements surround us, it is often difficult to predict the benefits that will arise from a given scientific venture.  And these benefits, even if predictable, do not usually lead to ownership rights.  Accordingly, the Government has a special obligation to support science as an investment in our future.

My Administration has sought to reverse a decade-long decline in funding.  Despite the need for fiscal restraint, real support of basic research has grown nearly 11% during my term in office.  And, my Administration has sought to increase the support of long-term research in the variety of mission agencies.  In this way, we can harness the American genius for innovation to meet the economic, energy, health, and security challenges that confront our nation.

—­International Relations and National Security.  Science and technology are becoming increasingly important elements of our national security and foreign policies.  This is especially so in the current age of sophisticated defense systems and of growing dependence among all countries on modern technology for all aspects of their economic strength.  For these reasons, scientific and technological considerations have been integral elements of the Administration’s decision-making on such national security and foreign policy issues as the modernization of our strategic weaponry, arms control, technology transfer, the growing bilateral relationship with China, and our relations with the developing world.

Four themes have shaped U.S. policy in international scientific and technological cooperation:  pursuit of new international initiatives to advance our own research and development objectives; development and strengthening of scientific exchange to bridge politically ideological, and cultural divisions between this country and other countries; formulation of programs and institutional relations to help developing countries use science and technology beneficially; and cooperation with other nations to manage technologies with local impact.  At my direction, my Science and Technology Adviser has actively pursued international programs in support of these four themes.  We have given special attention to scientific and technical relations with China, to new forms of scientific and technical cooperation with Japan, to cooperation with Mexico, other Latin American and Caribbean countries and several states in Black America, and to the proposed Institute for Scientific and Technological Cooperation.