In order to ensure that the United States maintains an advanced information infrastructure, the Council on Competitiveness has started a project on the 21st century infrastructure. Participating in this project are the many different parties who are providing and using the infrastructure, including cable companies, regional Bell companies, long distance carriers, cellular firms, computer hardware and software companies, banks, publishers, and universities. Although these groups do not agree on all issues, the Council hopes to develop a consensus to accelerate the deployment of an advanced information infrastructure. This vision statement represents such a consensus. The document begins with an executive summary. The vision statement is then presented. It addresses the need for an advanced information infrastructure and covers the following issues: (1) why the information infrastructure is important; (2) where the United States stands; (3) what the vision is; (4) the roles of the government and the private sector; (5) where to go from here; and (6) what the next steps are in obtaining this goal. (JLB)