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Rep. Darin LaHood delivers statement on NITRD Program, NCSA Blue Waters


Representative Darin LaHood, (IL-18) gave a statement in support of his sponsored Networking and Information Technology Research and Development (NITRD) Program on May 24 in front of the House Committee on Science, Space, & Technology.

In his comments, Rep. LaHood mentioned how NITRD is the primary federal research and development “investment portfolio in unclassified networking, computing, software, cybersecurity, and related information technologies.”

Specifically, LaHood highlighted the work and importance of the Blue Waters supercomputer and programming, at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Blue Waters is supported by the NITRD program and represents more than $400 million in combined National Science Foundation and Illinois funding, and is used by universities across the country and through the NCSA Private Sector Program with companies like Caterpillar, located in Peoria in LaHood’s congressional district.

“Blue Waters and the research it supports is a direct result of the original national interest in developing computers capable of solving complex national problems,” said LaHood. “This legislation will continue and expand upon this national interest based on modern technology.

“Our investments on information technology research and development are crucial for our nation: to bolster economic competitiveness and create new industries and businesses; to assure future national security, including cybersecurity; and to create the good-paying jobs we need for today and tomorrow. I look forward to working with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to mark up this bill and modernize the NITRD Program.”

Read the complete transcript of LaHood’s statement.

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