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########## ########## ########## |
#### #### #### | A TECHNOLOGY POLICY FOR AMERICA
######## ######## ######## | by President-Elect Bill Clinton
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=====================================================================
EFFector Online November 4, 1992 Issue 3.08
A Publication of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
ISSN 1062-9424
=====================================================================
A TECHNOLOGY POLICY FOR AMERICA Six Broad Initiatives
by Bill Clinton
(September, 1992)
The Clinton-Gore technology policy consists of six broad initiatives
that together will restore America's technological leadership:
1. Building a 21st Century Technology Infrastructure.
Infrastructure has traditionally been the responsibility of federal and
state governments. Investing in infrastructure means more than repairing
bridges, harbors and highways. Today, the United States faces a new
series of communications, transportation and environmental needs for the
21st century. The creation of a 21st century infrastructure program
would serve as a critical technology driver for the nation. It would
stimulate major new national R&D efforts; create large, predictable
markets that would prompt significant private sector investments; and
create millions of new jobs.
A 21st century infrastructure would address many practical problems. For
example, the government can serve as a catalyst for the private sector
development of an advanced national communications network, which would
help companies collaborate on research and design for advanced
manufacturing; allow doctors across the country to access leading
medical expertise; put immense educational resources at the fingertips
of American teachers and students; open new avenues for disabled people
to do things they can't do today; provide technical information to small
businesses; and make telecommuting much easier. Such a network could do
for the productivity of individuals at their places of work and learning
what the interstate highway of the 1950s did for the productivity of the
nation's travel and distribution system.
Each year, I plan to devote a significant portion of my four year, $80
billion Rebuild America fund to laying the groundwork for the nation's
infrastructure needs in the 21st century. Federal funding for the
National Research and Education Network is one example of how the
federal government can serve as a catalyst for private sector
infrastructure investment. We will also provide additional funding to
network our schools, hospitals and libraries.
As part of the effort to assess U.S. needs and develop appropriate
programs, the federal government must monitor, or "benchmark", what
foreign governments are doing. For example, the Japanese government has
committed to invest over $120 billion by 1995 to develop a digital
broadband communication infrastructure called the Information Network
System, and plans to invest another $150 billion to establish model
programs for business and residential users.
A comprehensive infrastructure program must also include effective
standards and regulations. By establishing reasonable standards and a
constructive regulatory environment, the government can send clear
signals to industry about important, emerging markets and spur private
sector investment. For example, the digital standard that the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC), in cooperation with industry,
established for high resolution television provides an excellent
indication of the future technical direction of the industry and will do
much to facilitate private sector R&D.
A 21st century infrastructure program should consist of the following
five elements:
Funding the establishment of key networks and demonstration
projects;
Benchmarking U.S. programs against those of other major industrial
nations;
Establishing standards and a regulatory climate that fosters
private sector investment;
Involving the federal labs, companies, and universities in
conducting R&D on key technical issues; and
Providing training for users of networks and databases.
2. Establishing Education and Training Programs for a High-Skill
Workforce.
The U.S. education system must make sure that American workers have the
requisite skills. The focus should be not only on the top American
students who measure up to world-class standards, but also on average
and disadvantaged students. It must also take into account the need to
upgrade workers' skills and help people make the difficult transition
from repetitive, low-skill jobs to the demands of a flexible, high-skill
workplace. Unlike Germany, the United States does not have a
sophisticated vocational education program, and unlike Japan, U.S. firms
do not have a strong incentive to invest in the training and retraining
of their workers. We need more of both, geared to meet the needs of the
mobile U.S. workforce.
I will implement the following programs to strengthen the skills of
America's workforce:
Establish tough standards and a national examination system in
core subjects like writing, communication, math and science;
level the playing field for disadvantaged students;
reduce class sizes;and give parents the right to chose the public
schools their child attends.
Establish a national apprenticeship program that offers non-
college bound students training in a marketable skill.
Give every American the right to borrow money for college by
establishing a National Service Trust Fund. Students can repay
their borrowing as a percent of their earnings over time, or by
serving their communities for one or two years doing work their
country needs.
Stimulate industry to provide continuing, high skills training to
its front-line workers.
For small manufacturers to compete today, it is not good enough simply
to have access to new equipment and new technologies if their workers do
not have the skills and know-how to operate them efficiently, and engage
in truly flexible production. Yet, too much of our training is for only
top executives or workers after they have lost their jobs.
My plan calls for companies with over 50 employees to ensure that 1.5
percent of their payroll goes to training throughout the workforce --
not just for the top executives. But we must do more for smaller
companies who cannot afford to set up the training programs. These
companies need to adapt to new technologies and new equipment and the
constantly new demands.
New production technology should be worker-centered and skill-based, not
skill-eliminating. In the high-performance workplace, workers have more
control over production and worker responsibility is increased. Some
companies that have invested billions in new capital equipment have
found that genuine employee involvement and good labor-management
relations are ultimately more important. Therefore we need to undertake
the following:
Manufacturing training centers:
We need to promote private sector-led efforts to set up training
for small companies. These can be done by building off community
colleges training and should be an integral part of the network of
Manufacturing Extension provisions. These would also be integrated
with my Apprenticeship initiative so that young people will have
the opportunity to learn specific skills needed for specific
manufacturing jobs or industries. Councils including private
sector and academic leaders as well as workers would help decide
generic areas for training.
Certificate of training g