Chart 7-1. COMPUTING AND COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
Strengthening University-Based Research: University-based research is key to America's future. While fostering innovation and expanding the scientific frontier, university-based research also trains the next generation of scientists and engineers. The budget proposes $15.5 billion, an increase of $353 million over 1999.
Protecting Human Health: The budget reflects the Administration's continued focus on R&D to protect human health. It funds research programs at NIH that have made the United States the world's leader in medical research. It also supports the development of an AIDS vaccine, the fight against emerging infectious diseases, research on cancer and diabetes, efforts to reduce the demand for illicit drugs, and a food safety initiative.
Investing in Innovation to Create New Jobs and Industries: Many of the new private-sector jobs created under this Administration have been high-tech, high-wage jobs in industries like biotechnology and computing. The budget maintains a strong investment in technology to foster these high-priority, civilian science and technology industries and jobs. The budget continues funding for the Department of Commerce's Advanced Technology Program and Manufacturing Extension Partnerships to help firms develop and adopt modern technologies.
Investing in Environmental Research: The budget supports vital research on safe and clean food, air, and water,and on ecosystem management, biological diversity,climate change, natural disasters, energy efficiency, and renewable energy. These investments provide a scientific basis for developing cost-effective environmental policies, produce the knowledge base for citizens to make wise environmental decisions,and enable better approaches to environmental protection. The budget proposes $96 million for Integrated Science for Ecosystem Challenges (ISEC) to develop an environmental information infrastructure and modeling framework to manage and preserve the Nation's natural resources.
