07 January 2000
(Institute will protect America's cyberspace from attack) (280) The White House issued the following fact sheet on January 7, 2000: Following is the White House fact sheet: (begin fact sheet) THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary January 7, 2000 FACT SHEET Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection The President proposed today the creation of the Institute for Information Infrastructure Protection to identify and fund research and technology development to protect America's cyberspace from attack or other failures. The Institute will fill research and other key technical gaps that neither the private sector nor the government's national security community would otherwise address, but that are necessary to ensure the robust, reliable operation of the national information infrastructure. The President announced he would propose initial funding of over $50 million for the Institute in his budget to be submitted next month. Funding would be provided through the Commerce Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The Institute was first proposed by the scientists and corporate officials who served on the President's Committee of Advisors on Science and Technology, and then supported by leading corporate Chief Technology Officers (CTOs). The Institute will work directly with private sector information technology suppliers and consumers to define research priorities and engage the country's finest technical experts to address the priorities identified. Research work will be performed at existing institutions including private corporations, universities, and non-profit research institutes. The Institute will also make provisions for private sector funding for some research activities. (end White House fact sheet) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State.)