In May 2001, the Administration asked the National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council (NRC) to provide an updated evaluation of key questions about climate change science. Upon receipt of the NRC's report in June 2001, the President directed the relevant agencies and departments of the federal government to build on the extensive U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) to accelerate research on the most important uncertainties in climate science, enhance climate observation systems, and improve information available to decisionmakers. To accom- plish this, the Administration took several steps: The President launched the Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI) in June 2001, with an enhanced focus on the climate effects of aerosols (tiny particles) in the atmosphere, the carbon cycle in the Earth system, climate mod- eling, observations, and development of scien- tific information to support decisionmaking. The President created a new, cabinet-level organization in February 2002, to improve the government-wide management of climate sci- ence and climate-related technology develop- ment. Two collaborative interagency programs were launched in response to the President's direction: the Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) and the Climate Change Technology Program In July 2002, a year-long process to prepare a 10-year strategic plan for the CCSP was initiat- ed. This planning process was designed to ensure a comprehensive examination of research and observation needs, transparent review by all the international scientific and stakeholder communities, and establishment of defined goals for the research. This document, together with the companion CCSP scientific strategic plan, represents the culmination of the planning and public review process. The United States has also launched an interna- tional effort to design and implement a com- prehensive, multilaterally sponsored Earth observing system, which will provide critical information to improve climate science and modeling. This system will build directly upon the major advances in observations and data management already achieved by the United States and other nations. A ministerial meeting hosted by the U.S. government in Washington in July 2003 is the first step in a planned 10- year effort to greatly improve the ability to "take the temperature of the Earth." Vision and Goals Research and observations can play unique roles in helping society to deal with key climate change issues. This gives rise to the guiding vision of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program.