Sustaining America's leadership in science and technology has been a cornerstone of the Clinton Administration. A key to the strategy President Clinton and Vice President Gore have embraced is investing in our people, investing in technology, and dramatically increasing our efforts in research and development. They also know that investing in research will help prepare the next generation of scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs so that Americans will have 21st Century skills for 21st Century jobs. And that's why the President's balanced budget contains the largest increase in funding for higher education since the GI Bill - and why he sponsored the Hope Scholarship and the Lifelong Learning Tax Credits which help Americans pay for college. Instead, as it has in the past, it should unite and inspire us - not divide us.
Technological leadership is vital to the national interests of the United States.
Most of the Federal research and education investment portfolio enjoyed bipartisan support during the first term of the Clinton Administration. 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. A passionate interest in exploring new frontiers, a relentless quest for new knowledge, a fundamental belief in progress and in rising standards of living - are all at the core of the American character. Although it is virtually impossible to predict specifically how today's basic research results will eventually improve our quality of life, or to imagine the new industries and markets that will emerge, there is no question that such improvements and industries will arise. Just as we now reap the harvest from past discoveries, the work of researchers and scientists will transform our lives as we move into the 21st Century.