Bill Gates written transcript from today's congressional testimony

For America to remain globally competitive Congress must increase funding for science and math education, basic science research, and raise the cap on green cards and H-1B visas for foreign talent, Bill Gates today told members in testimony before Congress. Here is the transcript of Gates' testimony.

Written Testimony of
William H. Gates
Chairman, Microsoft Corporation
And
Co-Chair, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

Before the
Committee on Science and Technology
United States House of Representatives

March 12, 2008

Chairman Gordon, Ranking Member Hall, Members of the Committee, my name is Bill Gates and I am Chairman of Microsoft Corporation. I am also a co-chair, with my wife Melinda and my father Bill, Sr., of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. It is an honor for me to speak here today on the occasion of the Committee's 50th anniversary.

Today I am here to highlight the gathering threat to U.S. preeminence in science and technology innovation, and to propose a four-part plan that I believe will help us maintain our position as the world's innovation leader.

During the last 50 years, the world has witnessed truly revolutionary advances in science and technology. We as a nation can take pride in knowing that American scientists, researchers and entrepreneurs have been at the forefront of many of these advances. Our unmatched ability to turn new ideas in science and technology into thriving businesses has been the engine of growth and job creation that has made our economy among the most dynamic and competitive in the world.

This Committee can also take pride in knowing that it is responsible for many of the key federal policies that provided the foundation for U.S. technology leadership. Through its efforts, the Committee has shaped our national approach and guided our investments in areas such as space travel, aviation, computing and networking, biotechnology, energy, education, and many other fields.

I share this Committee's deep faith in the power and importance of technology. Having spent the last 30 years with one of the world's leading software companies, I am amazed every day at the potential for technology to create new opportunities and improve people's lives. This view is shared by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which focuses on finding innovative solutions that can help improve healthcare and education, and reduce poverty.

As rapidly as science and technology have advanced over the past 50 years, I believe these advances will pale in comparison to the innovations of the next 50 years, or even the next 10 years.

In many ways, the incredible advances of the past few decades have really just laid the foundation for much more profound change in the years ahead. There are about a billion PCs in use around the world today. The number of people who use cell phones is close to 3 billion. About 300 million people are connected to broadband Internet. Software permeates every sector of the economy and almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives.

The implications of these developments are profound. Computing and software are increasingly available everywhere: in the office and the home; in our cars; in stores, restaurants, and public spaces. In the future, we will be able to tap into computing capabilities on an increasingly broad range of devices. We will have instant access to all of our personal information – and all of the content, information, and computing power we want or need – at any time and from any location.

These changes will have a dramatic impact on business. Not only will productivity and efficiency continue to improve, but we are moving closer and closer to the time when information systems will have the flexibility, intelligence, and self-awareness to adapt automatically as business conditions change. These systems will deliver precisely the information, services, and applications that employees and customers need, when and where they need them.

These changes will also have a profound impact on the way people live – the way we share experiences and communicate with the people we care about; the way we preserve memories of past events; the way we access entertainment; the way we learn; and how we interact with our communities and our governments.

These advances also have the potential to help us address some of the most pressing global challenges that we face today.
In education, information technology can help us eliminate some of the barriers that prevent us from providing a high-quality education to everyone; barriers such as lack of access to great educational content and relevant curricula, a shortage of effective teachers, and a paucity of data that would help us improve student performance.