Clinton announces NEW GVT PROGRAMS to develop technology

[Declan McCullagh <declan@well.com>]

WASHINGTON (AP) - Honoring 14 American scientists' "passion for discovery,"
President Clinton today announced $96 million in new government-assisted
programs to develop chip-sized supercomputers, hand-held video phones and
radio-transmitting ID cards to locate lost children.
	"Who knows what will be known in only 25 years," Clinton marveled,
pointing to recent innovations on the Internet and human genome research.
"We must rise to master the forces of change and progress as we move
forward."
	The $96 million already provided by Congress for this budget year,
combined with industry funds, would leverage roughly $200 million for
research and development, Clinton said.
	"The discoveries of tomorrow will be made possible by the
scientists of today and by our continued commitment to their passionate
quest," Clinton said.
	The Defense Department and semiconductor industry are teaming up to
pay for long-term university projects meant to eventually allow U.S.
companies to manufacture fingernail-sized silicon chips containing billions
of transistors.
	A Commerce Department initiative offers, through competitions,
funds to small companies working on breakthroughs in areas such as portable
video communications, radio transmitters to keep track of children and
affordable DNA diagnostics.

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