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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Joe Lieberman (D-CT) and George Allen (R-VA) today introduced bipartisan legislation to promote nanotechnology research and development in the United States. Wyden will also chair the Senate's first hearing on nanotechnology today in the Senate Commerce Committee's Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space.
Nanotechnology, science that manipulates particles or devices the size of small groups of atoms, has enormous potential in manufacturing, health care, electronics, agriculture, and other areas. Nanotechnology research is progressing on many practical fronts, from making building materials stronger to potentially creating medical treatments that can attack individual cancer cells.
The Wyden-Lieberman-Allen legislation, the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act, would provide a strong foundation for the U.S. nanotechnology research effort and address the full range of needs for ensuring U.S. leadership in this area.
"The world is on the cusp of a nanotechnology revolution that will change our lives on a scale equal to, if not greater than, the computer revolution," said Wyden, who chairs the Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space. "Only a smart, accelerated, and coordinated approach to nanotechnology research, development, and education will assure America leads the world's charge in this innovative field."
"Nanotechnology is proof good things can come in very small packages -- in this case, amazing innovations, increased productivity, and plenty of new jobs. The first country to produce the big breakthroughs in this tiny science will be poised for economic advantage in the global economy," Lieberman said. "While the nanotechnology industry is still in its infancy, it is critical that the federal government does what it can to support the research necessary to ensure that the U.S. remains ahead of the curve."
"Nanotechnology is quickly transforming almost every corner of our modern world and is already significantly improving our quality of life," said Allen. "From computers and electronic devices, to health care and pharmaceuticals, to agriculture, energy and our national defense, nanoscience will be the foundation of many of the revolutionary advances and discoveries in the decades to come and will soon occupy a major portion of the technology economy."
Experts estimate that nanotechnology has the potential to become a $1 trillion industry over the next decade. This year alone, venture capitalists and corporations are expected to invest $1 billion in American nanotechnology efforts. To keep America paramount in the coming nanotechnology boom, the legislation would create the National Nanotechnology Research Program, a coordinated inter-agency effort that would support long-term nanoscale research and development, increase America's competitiveness in nanoscale technology, and promote effective education and training for the next generation of nanotechnology researchers and professionals.
The National Science and Technology Council, created in 1993 to assist the President in coordinating national scientific research and development efforts, would coordinate and manage the nanotechnology program. The bill would also create a Presidential National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel and National Nanotechnology Coordination Office, which would provide administrative and technical support for the Advisory Panel and the Council. To study the potential effects of nanotechnology, a new Center for Societal, Ethical, Educational, Legal and Workforce Issues Related to Nanotechnology would also be established.
In the hearing today, the Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space will hear from America's leading experts on nanotechnology about the field's potential and its obstacles. Included in the hearing will be demonstrations of various nanotechnologies, from materials coated with nanoscale particles to "quantum dots," the building blocks of nanoscale technologies.
The Wyden-Lieberman-Allen legislation is scheduled for markup consideration by the full Commerce Committee on Thursday, September 19.
Text of Lieberman's Hearing Statement
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