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PREFACE /vii 



prise. The individuals who assisted the committee and the background papers 

 prepared for it are acknowledged in Appendixes C and D, respectively. 



Some will think it politically unwise that we recommend a process and 

 guidelines for identifying activities that can be reduced or eliminated and for 

 reallocating the savings to ones more essential to preserving U.S. leadership in 

 science and technology. We have been told that our advice will be only partially 

 followed — that the cuts will be made but that the savings will not be reallocated 

 to federal science and technology. Perhaps. But we see no alternative. We can 

 only hope that the case we have made is convincing, and trust that our recommen- 

 dations to maintain U.S. strength in science and technology will be accepted. The 

 committee believes that the political wisdom that created the remarkably successful 

 U.S. research and development enterprise will endure, driven by the U.S. public's 

 strong and abiding support for federal science and technology. 



This report results from the work of many people. I especially thank the 

 committee itself. It had what some believed a near-impossible task. Whether it 

 succeeded is for others to judge. I shall always be grateful to these extraordinarily 

 accomplished and able people for the care, intelligence, and above all the time they 

 gave to wise and experienced judgments about a federal role that is so vital to the 

 nation's future. Finally, I know I speak for all the committee members in acknowl- 

 edging our indebtedness to the staff — consummate professionals who know as 

 much about science policy issues as any in Washington, and without whose partici- 

 pation the report would be much diminished. 



Frank Press 



Chair 



Committee on Criteria for Federal 



Support of Research and Development 



