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in pursuit of important societal purposes, some, for example, raise the direct and 

 indirect costs of conducting R&D. Private performers of R&D must comply with a 

 host of laws and regulations intended to affect conduct generally, in such areas as 

 antitrust, labor relations, equal opportunity', consumer safety, and environmental 

 protection. Nongovernmental recipients of public R&D funds must comply with 

 additional rules and regulations regarding the procurement process, fmancial ac- 

 countability', nondiscrimination and affirmative action, preferences for small and 

 minorirv'-owned businesses, "Buy American" requirements, maintaining a drug-free 

 workplace, and so on. 



Results of 50 Years of Federal R&D Support 



Investment in R&D has become an essential element of contemporary 

 governance. 



A history of successful experiences in mobilizing scientific and technical 

 resources to meet important national needs has contributed to a sense of confi- 

 dence that U.S. scientific and technical institutions can rise to nearly any occasion 

 and help address important national problems with dispatch. Congress, the Execu- 

 tive Branch, and the American people have come to believe that investment in R&D 

 is a cost-effective mechanism for responding to important national needs. R&D 

 helps ensure our national securin.', strengthens the performance of our economy, 

 and enhances our qualirv- of life. 



The United States is not alone in this belief— during the twentieth century- 

 every industrialized countrv- has made major investments in the foundations of its 

 scientific and technological capabilities through support for R&D and related activi- 

 ties. In fact, support for R&D is now one of the primary' tools used by modern 

 governments everv-where to achieve public purposes. 



The breadth of the federal investments in R&D provides the 

 scientific and technical capital to respond to new opportunities 

 and crises, which often are unexpected and sometimes are urgent. 



U.S. strength in a wide range of fields has enabled both creative and pragmatic 

 problem solving on diverse fronts; rapid understanding of the factors related to the 

 onset of AIDS, responses to new forms of warfare, and identification of major envi- 

 ronmental problems such as losses in stratospheric ozone. 



Diversity, both in funding sources and in the institutions that do 

 the work, is a great strength of our national science and technology 

 enterprise. 



Research and development supported by ONR, NSF, NASA, and the U.S. Geo- . 

 logical Survey has led to a revolution in our understanding of Earth's structure, its 

 resources, and the impact of geological forces. Similarly, U.S. strength in informa- 

 tion technology has been fostered through the work of DOD, NSE DOE, and other 

 agencies. Often several agencies have collaborated to create a successful program. 



