A dedicated secretariat for the Internet Activities Board (IAB) and its subsidiary Task Forces will be created. The IAB is responsible to the Federal Research Internet Coordinating Council (FRICC) comprising members from government agencies concerned with scientific research: Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, National Air and Space Administration, National Institutes for Health, Department of Energy, and National Science Foundation. The IAB manages the evolution of the Government Research Internet which continues to expand to more and more institutions including government laboratories and academic research institutions each year. This rapid growth has been stimulated in large measure by the NSFNET, Regional networks, and Supercomputer Center initiatives sponsored by NSF. The secretariat will assist the IAB in carrying out its responsibilities, including development and adoption of new Internet Standards, short and mid-term engineering of the Internet, identification of pressing research areas and long term transitions to standard international protocols and super high speed networks. The dedicated support is essential to maintain and improve the utility of the research Internet and the research infrastructure it provides to U. S. scientists and engineers. //