Today we honor 14 remarkable men and women for extraordinary individual accomplishments, from discovering new ways to chart the universe to exploring the internal universe of human nature... By giving these awards we honor the American passion for discovery that has driven our nation forward from field to factory to the far reaches of cyberspace. This spirit of discovery will lead us into a new century and a new millennium.

-- President Clinton Dec. 16, 1997

Today, President Clinton presented awards to the Medals of Science and Technology winners and announced two new research and development partnerships. The new partnerships will leverage about $200 million in government and industry funds. Our investment in scientific research, technological innovation, and a healthy business environment, coupled with a strong commitment to education and human resources development, promotes the beneficial application of science and technology. As the President said, "These investments have surely paid off -- in higher paying jobs, better health care, stronger national security, and improved quality of life for all Americans.... They are critical to America's ability to maintain our leadership in cutting-edge industries that will power the global economy of the new century."

(Budget authority, dollar amounts in millions) *Equipment and Facilities were not collected separately in 1993

• The Defense Department and the semiconductor industry will invest $14 million to fund long-term R&D at leading universities that will eventually allow U.S. companies to manufacture a "supercomputer on a chip" -- with billions of transistors on a fingernail-sized piece of silicon. Such innovations are a driving force in the economy, notably, the high-tech sector (information, communications, electronics) now employs 4.3 million Americans at wages that are 73 percent above the private sector average.
• The Commerce Department's Advanced Technology Program (ATP) will provide $82 million in cost-shared funds for eight new competitions to support R&D with broad benefits to the U.S. economy. These competitions could lead to breakthroughs such as low-cost methods of producing higher-quality life- saving drugs and improved, cost-effective fuel cells that produce energy while reducing greenhouse gases.

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