Jan. 10, 2003 — U.S. Rep. Mike Honda, D-Calif., has reintroduced a nanotechnology bill that seeks to create a board of experts that would advise the president and Congress on federal nanotechnology issues.

Honda’s bill, the Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Advisory Board Act of 2003, is similar to the legislation he introduced in October during the last session of Congress. As with the last bill, which died when the term ended, the new legislation would establish a nongovernmental advisory board to monitor and influence the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) and government agencies doing nanotechnology research.

Honda’s original bill mirrored a small piece of another bill introduced in the Senate during the last session, which also saw no action. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), former chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space, introduced the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act.

Wyden’s bill sought to create a research program, advisory panel and coordination office, as well as a Center for Social, Ethical, Educational, Legal and Workforce Issues Related to Nanotechnology. That legislation also could resurface in some form, since one of the bill’s co-sponsors was Sen. George Allen, R-Va., the new chairman of the science subcommittee.