Congressional committee hearing advances nanotechnology reauthorization

April 17, 2008 — The U.S. House of Representatives’ Science and Technology Committee held a hearing yesterday, April 16, to review the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI, which is up for reauthorization) and proposed draft legislation. (See Small Times’ article on the NNI’s recently released strategic plan.)

Chairman Bart Gordon (D-TN) made an opening statement that emphasized the benefits and national significance of nanotechnology. “The term ‘revolutionary technology’ has become a cliché, but nanotechnology truly is revolutionary,” he said.

“The cooperation and planning processes among the participating agencies in the NNI have been largely effective. The NNI has led to productive, cooperative research efforts across a spectrum of disciplines, and it has established a network of national facilities for support of nanoscale research and development,” Gordon noted.

The draft legislation encompasses recommendations from Committee members and stakeholders, witness testimony from previous NNI hearings, and formal reviews of NNI in 2002 and 2006. The proposed draft changes to the program include:

— strengthening the planning and implementation of the environment, health, and safety component

— increasing emphasis on nanomanufacturing research and commercialization

— creating a new focus on large-scale R&D projects in areas of national significance

— enhancing support for K-16 educational programs related to nanotechnology.

“I am honored to have led a series of hearings on the commercialization of nanotechnology, the importance of educating students about the nanotechnology field, and the potential environmental and health risks of nanotechnology,” said Subcommittee Chairman Brian Baird (D-WA). “I look forward to working with Chairman Gordon on the reauthorization bill and to ensuring that the federal government remains an important partner in our country’s efforts to stay at the forefront of this unique and cutting edge science.”

The NNI was authorized by the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-153). The 2003 statute established formal interagency planning, coordinating, and budgeting for NNI. Currently, twenty-six federal agencies participate in NNI, 13 of which contribute to NNI’s research and development budget. The legislation requires formal reviews of NNI’s program content and implementation by the National Academies and an advisory committee of non-government experts.

“Although the NNI has from its beginnings realized the need to include activities for increasing understanding of the environmental and safety aspects of nanotechnology, it has been slow to put in place a well designed, adequately funded, and effectively executed research program to address this issue,” added Gordon. “The environmental and safety component of NNI must be improved by quickly developing and implementing a strategic research plan that specifies near-term and long-term goals, sets milestones and timeframes for meeting near-term goals, clarifies agencies’ roles in implementing the plan, and allocates sufficient resources to accomplish the goals.”

The following witnesses testified (click their names to access their testimonies) in yesterday’s hearing: Mr. Floyd E. Kvamme, Co-Chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology; Mr. Sean Murdock, Executive Director for the NanoBusiness Alliance; Mr. Joseph Krajcik, Associate Dean for Research and Professor of Education at the University of Michigan; Dr. Andrew Maynard, Chief Science Advisor of Projects on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson Center; Dr. Raymond David, Manager of Toxicology at the BASF Corporation; and Dr. Robert R. Doering, Senior Fellow and Research Strategy Manager for the Texas Instruments.

As the committee of jurisdiction, the House Science and Technology Committee has held many hearings throughout this and past Congresses to improve the program in an effort to maintain the U.S.’s competitive lead in nanotechnology.

In March, the Research and Science Education Subcommittee held a hearing focused on the importance of translating the results of nanotechnology research into commercial products and processes. In recognition of the significance of nanomanufacturing, the draft legislation establishes steps to increase the number of nanotechnology related projects under the Small Business Innovation Research Program and the Technology Innovation Program, authorized under the America COMPETES Act, which was signed in to law August 2007.

POST A COMMENT

Easily post a comment below using your Linkedin, Twitter, Google or Facebook account. Comments won't automatically be posted to your social media accounts unless you select to share.