Both major-party candidates support increased funding for development of new technologies and scientific processes. Texas Governor George W. Bush says that -- if elected -- he will make the Research and Experimentation tax credit, which is currently temporary, a permanent tax credit. Bush also pledges to increase the military R&D budget by $20 billion and to double the budget of the National Institutes of Health.

Vice President Al Gore says he, too, will make the Research and Experimentation tax credit permanent, but says his plan would go further to expand the tax credit to include "more innovative companies," and also to ensure that the tax code reflects the short life span and obsolescence of high-tech equipment.

Both Gore and Bush value online privacy, and say they would enact legislation to protect medical records, financial information, and an individual's genetic code. Gore adds that he will call for an "Electronic Bill of Rights for Privacy" to ensure that people know how and why their personal information is being collected. Bush says he will appoint a federal Chief Information Officer (CIO) who will lead and coordinate efforts to facilitate a digital government, including privacy protections.

Both candidates stress that equipping a workforce with the tools necessary to succeed in the technology markets and businesses of tomorrow requires educating that workforce today, with particular attention to K-12 students. Governor Bush proposes a math and science partnership fund of $1 billion that would join states with institutions of higher education. This endeavor would provide an additional $1 billion for enhanced Pell Grants to students who take advanced math and science courses in high school.

Vice President Gore's plan would create a bipartisan consensus to increase the public's awareness of the vital role of science and technology in the health of the nation's economy. He supports funding for rigorous research on what educational strategies work and why, as well as research and development that will advance the state-of-the-art in educational technology. Like Bush, Gore believes that every classroom and library should be connected to the Internet, and indicates he will work to increase investment in training teachers and students in the safe and effective use of the Web.

Employment concerns in the high-tech industry will have to be addressed by the next President. Both major-party candidates agree that increasing the number of H-1B visas will provide temporary relief, and neither camp is willing to say what the level of that increase should be.

Governor Bush suggests the long-term solution lies in his education plan, which provides for additional funding in math and science education. Vice President Gore echoes those ideas endorsing education as well as retraining for minorities and women.