This hearing focused on H. R. 656, companion bill of S. 272, which calls for high performance computing legislation. This is one of several initiatives to provide for a coordinated federal research program to ensure continued U.S. leadership in high performance computing. The bill authorizes the development of a National Research and Education Network, development of new classes of supercomputers, development of the software needed to exploit the capabilities of supercomputers, and research and development centers in computer and computational sciences. This transcript of the hearing includes testimony and statements from 11 witnesses: (1) U.S. Senator Al Gore (Tennessee); (2) D. Allan Bromley, Science Advisor to the President and Director of OSTP (Office of Science and Technology Policy); (3) Kenneth M. King, EDUCOM; (4) Glenn Ricart, Suranet; (5) Jim Young, Bell Atlantic; (6) George L. Johnston, the Plasma Fusion Center of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; (7) Stewart D. Personick, Bell Communications Research, Inc.; (8) Paul Young, University of Washington and Computing Research Association; (9) Gregory J. McRae, Carnegie Mellon University; (10) James E. Rottsolk, Tera Computer Co.; and (11) Lawrence A. Lee, the North Carolina Supercomputing Center. Also included are additional materials submitted for the record from the Association of Research Libraries, the American Library Association, ADAPSO (the computer software and services association), the Convex Computer Corporation, and the GAO (General Accounting Office). Deliberations on and suggested changes to the bill from the Subcommittee on Technology and Competitiveness Markup, the Subcommittee on Science Markup, and the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology Markup conclude the report. (DB)