"Defining Federal Information Technology Research and Development: Who? Where? What? Why? and How Much?"

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

http://reform.house.gov/TIPRC/Hearings/EventSingle.aspx?EventID=1187

 "Defining Federal Information Technology Research and Development: 
Who? Where? What? Why? and How Much?"
 This Hearing was Originally Scheduled on June 9, 2004


Wednesday, July 07, 2004 2:00 PM



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Related Documents

 Opening Statement

Chairman Putnam's Opening Statement

Witness Testimony

Testimony of Dr. David Nelson, Director National Coordination Office 
for Information Technology Research and Development (Executive Office 
of the President)

Testimony of Dr. Peter Freeman, Co-Chair of Interagency Working Group, 
Assistant Director, Computer and Information Science and Engineering 
Directorate, National Science Foundation

Testimony of Dr. Hratch Semerjian, Acting Director, National Institute 
of Standards and Technology

Testimony of Dr. C. Edward Oliver, Associate Director, Office of 
Advanced Scientific Computing Research, U.S. Department of Energy

Testimony of Dr. Donna Fossum, Manager of RaDiUS Project, RAND 
Corporation

Attachment to Dr. Donna Fossum's Testimony

Testimony of Dr. Edward Lazowska, Co-Chair of President's Information 
Technology Advisory Committee and (Bill & Melinda Gates) Chair in the 
Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of 
Washington

Testimony of Dr. William Scherlis, Principle Research Scientist, School 
of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon

Testimony of Dr. Stephen Squires, Chief Science Officer, Vice 
President, Hewlett-Packard


 

 Chairman Putnam's Opening Statement:

Good afternoon and welcome to the Subcommittee’s hearing on “Defining 
Federal Information Technology Research and Development: Who? Where? 
What? Why? and How Much?” The purpose of this hearing is to examine the 
extent of Federal funding for and leveraging of information technology 
(IT) research and development (R&D) across agencies, academia and 
industry.

 By addressing the basic questions, this Subcommittee hopes to identify 
the following: how many different agencies of the Federal government 
are currently engaged in conducting or managing IT research and 
development activities; is there an overall strategic plan that 
provides an opportunity to leverage investments, both internally and 
externally, and to identify complimentary activities in an effort to 
avoid duplication; how much is being spent on an annualized basis on 
information technology R&D, where and how these investments are 
actually being made, what are the outcome measurements and
 expectations associated with these investments; is there a defined set 
of goals and objectives or focus areas that are targeted by these 
efforts and what have been the recent results; what is the role of both 
the academic community and the private sector, and how are these 
partnerships created and maintained?

 The Federal government funds research and development to meet the 
mission requirements of the departments and agencies. Advances in the 
uses of IT R&D are continuing to change the way that federal agencies 
communicate, use information, deliver services and conduct business. 
The technology and expertise generated by this endeavor may have 
applications beyond the immediate goals or intent of federally funded 
research and development. Federal support reflects a consensus that 
while basic research is the foundation for many innovations, the rate 
of return to society as a whole generated by investments in such work 
is significant.

 The potential benefits of federally funded R&D related to information 
technology are endless. Federally funded programs have played a crucial 
role in supporting long-term research into fundamental aspects of 
computing. The unanticipated results of research are often as important 
as the anticipated results. The Internet, electronic mail and instant 
messaging, for instance, were by-products of government-funded research 
in the 1960s. Another aspect of government-funded IT R&D is that it 
often leads to open-standards, something that many perceive as 
beneficial, encouraging deployment and further investment.

 Previous oversight hearings conducted by this Subcommittee have 
identified an important missing link in the cyber security arena that 
requires further attention in the research and development arena. We 
have learned that inadequate tools exist today to conduct necessary 
quality assurance testing of existing and emerging software and 
hardware products that could better identify flaws, defects and other 
potential vulnerabilities prior to deployment. With a renewed 
commitment on the part of software and hardware manufacturers to 
quality and security of the products they introduce into the 
marketplace, a collaborative approach to developing more mature testing 
tools are essential to the improved protection of computer networks and 
the information assets they contain.

The outcomes achieved through public and private funding programs 
create a synergistic environment in which both fundamental and 
application-driven research is conducted, benefiting government, 
industry, academia and the public. Government funding appears to have 
allowed research on a larger scale and with greater diversity, vision, 
and flexibility than would have been possible without government 
involvement.

 It is important to recognize collaborative efforts across programs and 
agencies, and stress the importance of leveraging efforts with academia 
and the private sector. Universities, private companies, and federal 
laboratories are important partners in this endeavor. It will be 
productive to explore new methods to encourage increased activities by 
other parties in the innovation process, particularly if the goal is to 
continue the technological advancement, which has been so instrumental 
to this Nation’s economic growth and high living standard.

 Because investments in science and technology have resulted in 
unparalleled economic growth, as well as the standard of living and 
quality of life, we must emphasize the importance of supporting the 
efforts of IT R&D. Advances have been possible only with the support of 
both public and private investment in R&D, according to the President’s 
budget. However, challenges continue. There are many R&D needs vying 
for a limited amount of R&D dollars. Federal R&D program managers face 
tough choices in deciding where the R&D money should go and how much is 
appropriate for information technology.

 Furthermore, it is important to ensure that federal agencies are not 
pursuing conflicting R&D goals. It is essential that agencies, 
universities and industry move toward a more coordinated, unified goal. 
Multiple Federal agencies will need to coordinate their efforts to 
ensure that new understanding of information technology and network 
security is generated and that this knowledge is transitioned into 
useful products. Academia will have develop and expand degree programs 
to ensure that an adequate workforce exists to put the new tools and 
techniques into practice. The private sector has a critical role to 
play, as it will contain the developers and suppliers as well as the 
major purchasers of new information technologies and services.

 Government sponsorship of research, especially in universities, helps 
develop the IT talent used by industry, universities and other parts of 
the economy. When companies create products using the ideas and 
workforce that results from federally sponsored research, they repay 
the nation in jobs, tax revenues, productivity increases and world 
leadership.

We need a strong strategic plan to ensure that IT R& D is being used to 
maximize improvement in mission goals and performance. Federally funded 
research and development are key endeavors within the respective 
agencies and in cooperation with academia and the private sector. It is 
essential to meet vital Federal needs and sustain U.S. global 
leadership in science and in the engineering of information technology.


 

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