§ 5501 — Findings

The Congress finds the following: (1) Advances in computer science and technology are vital to the Nation’s prosperity, national and economic security, industrial production, engineering, and scientific advancement. (2) The United States currently leads the world in the development and use of networking and information technology, including high-performance computing, for national security, industrial productivity, science, and engineering, but that lead is being challenged by foreign competitors. (3) Further research and development, expanded educational programs, improved computer research networks, and more effective technology transfer from government to industry are necessary for the United States to reap fully the benefits of networking and information technology, including high-performance computing. (4) A high-capacity, flexible, high-speed national research and education computer network is needed to provide researchers and educators with access to computational and information resources, act as a test bed for further research and development for high-capacity and high-speed computer networks, and provide researchers the necessary vehicle for continued network technology improvement through research. (5) Several Federal agencies have ongoing networking and information technology, including high-performance computing, programs, but improved long-term interagency coordination, cooperation, and planning would enhance the effectiveness of these programs. (6) A 1991 report entitled “Grand Challenges: High-Performance Computing and Communications” by the Office of Science and Technology Policy, outlining a research and development strategy for high-performance computing, provides a framework for a multiagency high-performance computing program. Such a program would provide American researchers and educators with the computer and information resources they need, and demonstrate how advanced computers, high-capacity and high-speed networks, and electronic data bases can improve the national information infrastructure for use by all Americans. (7) Additional research must be undertaken to lay the foundation for the development of new applications that can result in economic growth, improved health care, and improved educational opportunities. (8) Research in new networking technologies holds the promise of easing the economic burdens of information access disproportionately borne by rural users of the Internet. (9) Information security is an important part of computing, information, and communications systems and applications, and research into security architectures is a critical aspect of computing, information, and communications research programs.